The Department of Health-Bicol office inLegazpi City(File photo) LEGAZPI CITY - The Department of Health-Bicol (DOH-5) on Thursday declared the region malaria-free. Noemi Bron, DOH-Bicol Health and Promotion chief, said the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (RESU) has reported zero malaria cases in the region since 2012. "Malaria-free po tayo(We are malaria-free)for the past 10 years," Bron said. Malaria is a life-threatening yet preventable and treatable disease caused by the parasite Plasmodium that is often transmitted to humans through the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. "Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, and chills that usually appear 10 to 15 days after getting bitten. If left untreated, an infected person may experience kidney failure, seizure, coma, and in severe cases, death," the agency said in a statement. In 2020, an estimated 241 million cases of malaria were recorded worldwide. Bron said the disease can be avoided by using insecticide-