The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed five malaria cases in Florida and Texas, the first time this mosquito-borne illness has been spread inside the country in 20 years.

Public officials have identified four cases in Florida and one in Texas in the past two months, and are continuing to investigate whether more people may be infected, the CDC said in a health advisory on June 26.

This is the first time people have caught malaria inside the United States since 2003, when eight locally transmitted cases were identified in Palm Beach County, Florida.

“Malaria is a medical emergency and should be treated accordingly,” the CDC said.

Source: Aljazeera