Malaria
10 Active OutbreaksMalaria is a life-threatening mosquito-borne disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. It remains one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa.
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What is Malaria?
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted through bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. In 2022, there were an estimated 249 million cases and 608,000 deaths globally. Despite being preventable and treatable, malaria continues to devastate communities, particularly affecting children under 5 and pregnant women in Africa.
Symptoms
- High fever and chills (often in cycles)
- Severe sweating
- Headache and body aches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue and weakness
- Anemia (severe cases)
- Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
- Confusion or seizures (cerebral malaria)
Transmission
Malaria is transmitted primarily through bites from infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. These mosquitoes typically bite between dusk and dawn. Transmission can also occur through blood transfusions, organ transplants, shared needles, or from mother to unborn child.
Contagious Period: Not directly contagious person-to-person; infectious to mosquitoes when parasites are present in blood (varies by species and treatment)
Prevention
- Take antimalarial medications when traveling to endemic areas (chemoprophylaxis)
- Sleep under insecticide-treated bed nets
- Use insect repellent containing DEET on exposed skin
- Wear long-sleeved clothing, especially after sunset
- Use indoor residual spraying with insecticides
- Eliminate standing water breeding sites
- Consider malaria vaccine in high-risk areas (children)
- Stay in air-conditioned or well-screened rooms
Active Outbreaks & Recent Cases
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CDC Operational Guidance for Investigating Locally ...
Guidance for Enhanced Investigation for Suspected Autochthonous Malaria Transmission
Malaria cases with no recent travel to an endemic area (21,22) typically require an enhanced investigation. Enhanced investigation refers to public health surveillance activities beyond routine case investigation. This updated guidance focuses specifically on enhanced investigations for suspected autochthonous cases of malaria. Guidance for investigations in which malaria transmission is suspected from blood tra
📰 15 news sources reporting on this story.
First malaria drug for babies is approved in 'major public health milestone'
WHO prequalification of Coartem Baby means newborns can be safely treated rather than using medication for older children
The first malaria treatment for babies has been approved by the World Health Organization, opening the door to widespread use around the globe.
In parts of Africa, up to 18% of children under six months will be infected with malaria, but there has historically been no safe treatment for the smallest of them. There were 610,000 deaths from malaria in 2024, about three quarter
Malaysia Malaria Cases Surge: 357 Infected, One Dead
This event folder reports malaria cases in Malaysia.
Source: BEACON - View Full Report
A new dawn for Nigeria: Accelerating malaria vaccine scale-up for a healthier nation - Businessday NG
The theme of World Malaria Day 2026 is "Driven to end malaria: Now we can, now we must". As the day approaches, it serves as both a reminder of our ongoing fight against malaria and a call for renewed hope and determined action. This preventable and treatable disease has long affected our nation, costing lives, burdening healthcare systems, and hindering economic progress. Fortunately, the introduction of the malaria vaccine offers a promising new approach to changing this trajectory. Nigeria has taken important steps by scaling up insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, and gradually rolling out the malaria vaccine, which reduces malaria episodes as well as hospitalisations and deaths due to the disease. These steps to fight malaria demonstrat...
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Malaria Kills One in Antigua; Imported Cases Confirmed
This event envelope contains reports on malaria in Antigua and Barbuda.
Source: BEACON - View Full Report
Nigeria Urged To Boost Local Drug Production To End Malaria
Nigeria has been urged to increase local production of anti-malaria drugs as experts warn that the country cannot eliminate the disease without ensuring consistent access to high-quality treatments. Speaking at a health programme in Lagos, experts said reliance on imports continued to weaken treatment access and exposes the country to supply disruptions. According to the World Health Organisation, Nigeria accounts for about 27 per cent of global malaria cases and nearly one in three deaths, with children under five the most affected. Executive director of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, Uzoma Ezeoke, said the major challenge was not only the burden of the disease but also inconsistent access to treatment. She said closing the access gap required building a system that produces WHO...
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Malaria Outbreak Suspected in Mayotte Amid Rising Cases
This event envelope contains reports on malaria in Mayotte.
Source: BEACON - View Full Report
Indonesia: Malaria Cases Surge to Record High in 2025
This event envelope includes reports on malaria in Indonesia.
Source: BEACON - View Full Report
The UK is a malaria science 'superpower' - and the world needs that
A wave of cuts to global health budgets in 2025 has impacted both our ability to ensure lifesaving tools reach those who need them - and our ability to develop new ones. Mosquitos and the malaria parasite have continued to build resistance to certain malaria interventions which we've relied on for years.
Climate change is shifting the habitats for some malaria transmitting mosquitoes, making them harder to track, made worse by extreme weather events. And conflict, rising across the globe, is cre
📰 24 news sources reporting on this story.
Can Dogs Be Used to Detect Malaria?
Researchers at Durham University are reporting that dogs could be trained to sniff out malaria in people. While investigating ways to prevent the spread of the deadly disease, the experts found that dogs could identify the scent of malaria in samples of socks worn by infected children.
The findings could ultimately lead to the first rapid, non-invasive test for malaria.
"There is no test diagnostic that is 100% effective," Professor Steve Lindsay, study lead investigator, exclusively told Earth
📰 23 news sources reporting on this story.
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WHO
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View WHO Resources →Medically Reviewed Content
Disease information on Virus Watcher is reviewed by our Chief Epidemiologist, a former CDC lead analyst for FluSight forecasting. Outbreak data is aggregated from verified sources including BEACON, ProMED, WHO, CDC, and 50+ national health agencies. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-03
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Common questions about Malaria answered by our epidemiology team
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