A comparative study of epidemiological investigations of malaria outbreaks and related deaths in two districts of Jharkhand during the same prewinter season using shoe-leather epidemiology

Background Following news of deaths in two districts of Jharkhand (West Singhbum and Garhwa) in November 2016, epidemiological investigations were contemplated to investigate any current outbreak of falciparum malaria and deaths attributed to it. Methodology The epidemiological investigations, verbal autopsy of suspected deaths attributed to malaria and keys interviews were conducted in the 2nd and 4th week of November 2016 in Khuntpani and Dhurki block of West Singhbum and Garhwa districts, respectively, following a strict protocol. Results The affected villages were Argundi and Korba-Pahariya and their adjacent tolas in Khuntpani and Dhurki block. Undoubtedly, there was the continuous transmission of falciparum malaria in both the regions in October and November 2016. The total cases (according to case definitions) were 1002, of them, 338 and 12 patients were positive for Plasmodium falciparum positive (Pf +ve) and Plasmodium vivax positive (Pv +ve), respectively, in the affected areas of Khuntpani block. In Dhurki block, out of the total of 631 patients fulfilling the case definition, 65 patients were PF +ve and 23 Pv +ve. Comparing to the last year, there is remarkably high number of falciparum cases. Verbal autopsy of deceased individuals showed that malaria might be one of the strongly probable diagnoses, but not conclusively. Conclusion According to epidemiological investigation, verbal autopsy and key interviews conducted, it may be concluded that there is a definite outbreak of falciparum malaria in the area and environment is congenial for malaria and other tropical diseases.