Malaria cases in Texas and Florida are the first US spread since 2003, CDC says

Five cases of malaria have been detected in the U.S. in the last two months. That marks the first time there’s been local spread in in 20 years. A health alert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says four cases were detected in Florida and one in Texas. Infected people can suffer fever, chills and flu-like illness. They also can develop severe complications and die if they are not treated. Health officials are warning doctors — especially in southern states — to be aware of the possibility of infection and think about how to access the first-line treatment for severe malaria in the United States.