WHO Reports Malaria Transmission Rates Remain High in 2024

— The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Ethiopia, Yemen, and Madagascar recorded the highest malaria transmission rates in 2024.

According to the UN health agency, malaria claimed an estimated 610,000 lives last year, with the majority of victims being children in sub-Saharan Africa.

WHO warned that the emergence of drug-resistant strains, the impact of climate change, and reduced funding are raising concerns that the disease could spread further. The agency noted that malaria deaths in 2023 were slightly higher than in 2024.

The organization’s annual malaria report revealed that new cases rose from 273 million to 282 million. While significant progress was achieved in the 2000s, WHO said the fight against malaria has stalled in recent years.

So far, 47 countries have been declared malaria-free. However, new infections have surged, particularly in Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Yemen. “Many people are still dying from preventable and curable diseases,” said Daniel Ngamije Madandi, director of WHO’s Global Malaria Program, in remarks reported by Reuters.

WHO highlighted that climate change, armed conflict, and growing resistance of malaria strains to preventive drugs and insecticides are undermining control efforts. The rise in cases and deaths is also partly linked to population growth, the agency added.

Between 2015 and 2024, WHO reported a steady increase in malaria cases. Out of every 100,000 people, 59 to 64 remain at high risk of contracting the disease. Death rates have declined slightly, from 14.9 to 13.8 per 100,000 people, according to the report.