A Chinese mission to counter malaria has begun in São Tomé, the capital city of São Tomé e Príncipe, STP-Press reports.

The São-Toméan state-run news agency quotes a Chinese researcher, Li Mingqiang, as saying the aim of the mission is to protect people against the mosquitoes that carry malaria through fumigation and the distribution of mosquito nets, and to treat people that have already caught the disease.

Mr Li said the districts of the city worst-affected by malaria would be fumigated.

The fumigation will be done at night to avoid unduly inconveniencing people, STP-Press quotes the man in charge of the fumigation work, João Viegas, as saying.