Elathur, 5 cases of malaria have been detected in the district from a single family. An elderly man, his wife, daughter and grand daughters were found to be suffering from malaria and were on Tuesday admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital, with some of them showing typical signs of cerebral involvement (cerebral malaria).

District Medical Officer R.L. Saritha said, “We suspect that these could be imported cases (of contracting the falciparum parasite from anopheles mosquitoes in some other area). We are trying to get their recent travel history, if any, though the patients have denied having travelled at all”.

Fever surveillance is being carried out in the locality and blood smears are being collected.

"Anti-larval measures to prevent anopheles proliferation would be stepped up", Dr. Saritha said.

The district health officials and field staff are into intensive anti-mosquito measures and are scouring the area for more cases.