Climate change 'to increase malaria' in Indian Himalayas

Climate change is likely to spread malaria to new areas in the Indian Himalayas, and lengthen the periods in which the infection is spread in a number of districts, according to projections from malaria researchers in India. "Strengthening health infrastructure and educating communities in vulnerable areas are the key tools," said Aditya Prasad Dash, regional advisor for vector-borne and neglected tropical diseases at the WHO's regional office for South-East Asia (SEARO). He added that Indian scientists need to identify bottlenecks in malaria control measures and assess the capacity of society to adapt to the new threats posed by climate change.