Florida is under a statewide mosquito-borne illness advisory.
The state's Malaria case count is on the rise, jumping from four to six cases in Southwest Florida since Monday. Four have been confirmed in Sarasota.
The parasite kills several million people around the world each year. In the U.S., people are much less likely to die from it because of resources to detect and treat early.
"Malaria is a disease which is transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes and it typically starts with high fever and chills," said Jay Gupta, director of the Public Health Program at Florida Gulf Coast University.
In the worst cases, it can spread to the brain and cause anemia and jaundice. Gupta said it can affect other organs, including lungs and kidneys.
Using bug spray, wearing long pants and sleeved shirts, and staying in at night are the best ways to prevent a bite.
Malaria spreads by mosquitoes biting an infected human, then biting another. It can also be passed from mother to child, through blood transfusions or sharing dirty needles.
Doctor Natasha Agramonte is a public health entomologist. She says though malaria is not common in America, it finds it's way in through travel — especially international trips.
Mosquitoes carrying the parasite may hitch on cruise ships, tag along in a suitcase, blow in from intense wind or bite a traveler before their return home.
"We get a lot of locally transmitted cases every year because people like to travel and they go to these different countries around the world and they get some souvenirs that they weren't counting on," Dr. Agramonte said.
Click here to learn more about the parasite.
