Malaria Epidemic Forecasting and Preparedness Manual

8. EpidemicResponseIf an unusual increase in cases or deaths is detected, this shouldbe reported to the Zoba Epidemic Response Team. They areresponsible for coordinating the response, according to theprotocols developed by IDSR, with full participation of themalaria coordinators.The main additional action taken after an epidemic has beendetected is that mass treatment is added to the other controlmeasures.Action taken after epidemic detection consists of:a. rapid confirmation of the epidemicb. response.Information may come from a village or health facility withoutdiagnostic facilities, so it will be necessary to make sure that theproblem is really malaria and not some other cause of fever.This can be done by blood survey using Optimal or slides,testing either a whole village, or fever cases only if the village istoo big.The main priority in response should be mass treatment of fevercases using normal first- line treatment, followed by vectorcontrol. The type of protocol has been described in the past as“MASS RADICAL TREATMENT.” This means house to housevisits and treatment with three day course of chloroquine plusSP. If there is some reason to suspect that drug resistance is aEritrea Epidemic Manual, June 2003 29