Child dead, 104 sick after taking malaria medication in SW China

CHENGDU-- A child has died and 104 villagers are sick after taking medicines to prevent malaria in southwest China's Sichuan province Monday, said local authorities Wednesday.

Lu Dajiang, of Shashi village, Dongxing district of Neijiang city, was diagnosed with falciparum malaria on May 11, said a statement from the provincial Health Department.

A total of 143 people of nearby Mawan village, who were in close contact with Lu took two kinds of medicines, chloroquine and primaquine.

Soon after, they began complaining of exhaustion and nausea.

Meng Yushan, who complained of a headache after taking the medicine, died at around 8 pm Monday, it said. The statement gave no other details about Meng or the other victims.

Nighty-eight others are being treated in hospital, including a five-year-old girl and a 60-year-old man who were seriously ill. Twenty people had been discharged as of 2 pm Tuesday, it said.

Lu Dajiang was also receiving treatment, the statement said.

The medicine was distributed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the municipal and district levels as well as Beinan Township Hospital.

Falciparum malaria, the most dangerous type of malaria, causes tissues to die due to lack of oxygen in the brain, liver, kidneys, lungs and other organs.