Until June 2025, Malaria Rate In Batam Touched 196 Cases

BATAM - malaria cases in the Batam area, Riau Islands experienced a significant increase. The Health Office of Batam City, Riau Islands reported that during January-June 2025, 196 malaria cases were found.

This figure is increasing considerably compared to last year. In 2024, it was reported that there were 69 cases throughout the year.

Batam Health Office Head Didi Kusmarjadi revealed that the spike in cases this year was mostly due to the opening of a new resort on Galang Island, which involved workers from outside the region.

"Initially, the recorded cases were imported cases brought by workers from endemic areas. However, it later developed into local transmission among fellow workers, which was categorized as an indiginous case," he said when contacted by ANTARA in Batam, Sunday, July 13.

Didi explained that imported cases were cases of malaria infection obtained in malaria endemic areas outside the Batam region. Then, there are cases of introduce, namely cases of malaria that occurred in an area that was previously not endemic to malaria, but was caused by infections that originated from individuals who traveled or came from endemic areas.

He said that finally there were cases of indiginous cases, namely malaria, whose source of transmission came from the local area.

In Batam, in 2021, 5 imported cases were found, in 2022, 14 imported cases, in 2023, 17 imported cases. Furthermore, case findings increased in 2024, where 69 cases (12 imported and 57 introduced) were found, a significant increase in 2025 with 196 indiginous cases.

The Batam Health Office has taken a number of handling steps, such as larvae and fogging in affected locations, gotong royong cleaning the environment, education and distribution of sickles, and the use of indoor insecticides (IRS).

Didi appealed to the public to be active in prevention by wearing anti-candy nets, long-sleeved clothes, kasal wires in the vent, and propellant lotions.

"Vector and environmental control is the main key to suppressing the spread of malaria in Batam," he added.