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Satellites can now predict malaria months ahead

A view from space can mitigate diseases on Earth.

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Malaria is a very dangerous disease in certain parts of the world. These include South America as well as parts of Asia. Most people do know that mosquitoes prefer warm air and stagnant water. But it is difficult to transfer that awareness to a large scale. Recently researchers overcame this difficulty by making use of an unlikely device. NASA satellites. Yes, you read that right!

So how do they predict malaria?

Researchers use NASA satellites (such as the Landsat series) to predict malaria outbreaks by identifying areas where the soil moisture creates prime breeding grounds for the mosquitoes that transmit malaria. Researchers know that floods coupled with deforestation creates pools of water that are ideal for mosquitoes to breed. Compare that with fine-grained models of human behaviour (say, loggers or miners who work in wet conditions) and you have a unified system that can anticipate outbreaks about 3 months in advance. It can even predict it right down to individual households.

Of course, this method has not been perfected just yet. It will need time and a lot of adjustments will need to be done to refine it. It could be active within the next few years. Once it is active, it can help prevent outbreaks of malaria thanks to timely responses to the problem. Furthermore, it can bring to light more efficient ways of fighting the disease and reduce the cost incurred with preventing the disease.

For an example, Peru distributes everything from bed nets to sprays to many areas in the country. This is the country’s strategy to reduce the chances of anyone contracting the disease. Of course, this is expensive. By making use of this new tech, one can distribute items and help to specific areas where an outbreak is set to occur. This can save money as well as resources.

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