Cambodia's malaria cased dropped in the first six months compared with the same period of last year, but the fatalities were up, local newspaper reported on Thursday.

Statistics from the National Malaria Center show that the number of malaria cases treated through the country's healthcare system during the first six months of the year dropped by a third compared to the same period last year.

From January through June, 29,092 patients were treated for malaria, compared to 39,704 for the first six months of 2004, The Cambodia Daily quoted Duong Socheat, director of the center as saying.

Duong Socheat contributed the results to the net distribution on time and the hard work of health volunteers in the villages who were trained by the government.

However, he said that 117 people died due to malaria during that period, an increase of 11 fatalities compared to the first six months of 2004. Still, Duong Socheat believes that the total number of fatalities for the whole year will be lower than in 2004.

Source: Xinhua