Zombies vs. Midgets

The BBC has reported a small outbreak of Zombism in northeast Cambodia. Although the number of deaths remains unclear, a cure for the disease does not exist.

Researchers believe that an extremely rare strain of malaria is behind the outbreak, which causes a condition known as “resurrection” in the recently deceased.

After death, this parasite is able to restart the heart of its victim for up to two hours after the initial demise of the person where the individual behaves in extremely violent ways from what is believed to be a combination of brain damage and a chemical released into blood during “resurrection.”

The zombies are expected to fight a death match against the Cambodian Midget Fighting League, but a date for the bout has not yet been announced.

Drugs, cocktails, malaria

Without a degree in medicine or microbiology, it’s a bit hard to know how far the results of this joint Cambodian-Chinese study will reach. But even from a layman’s perspective, the numbers look quite impressive.

Kampong Speu Gov. Kang Heang said malaria prevalence among children in the province has been reduced from 36.19% to 0.13%, according to the provincial health information unit and data from Li Guoqiao of Guangzhou University.

The magic elixir is a multi-drug combination known as Artequick, an artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). Multi-drug combinations, or cocktails, first gained recognition with their use against the HIV/AIDS virus.

In related news, The New York Times interviews Dr. Arata Kochi, the World Health Organization’s abrasive new leader of WHO’s global malaria program, who’s got his own iron fist.