China closing in on anti-malaria goal

BEIJING -- China reported only 40 locally-acquired malaria cases in 2015, down from around 4,300 in 2010, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

In 2010, the country set the goal of basically eliminating all locally-acquired cases except in some border areas in Southwest China's Yunnan province by the end of 2015, and to clear up the disease entirely by 2020.

According to a medium-term assessment released on Thursday by the commission, progress is "going smoothly" as more than 96.4 percent of class-A counties (except some in Yunnan) and 99.8 percent of class-B ones reported no locally-acquired cases last year.

China divided counties as its basic malaria control units into four classes in terms of severity. Class-A being the highest risk.

"Our country still faces a high risk of a malaria rebound as well as a grave situation of imported cases, and our health institutes still have some weak spots in terms of prevention and control," the report said, citing a total of 25,612 malaria cases in general reported between 2010 and 2015.

Despite progress in locally-acquired cases, the report noted that 30 counties or cities reported imported cases in 2015, up from only 22 in 2010.

A 2016-2020 anti-malaria plan also released on Thursday described the next five years as the crucial stage for eradication, targeting imported cases, especially in border areas.