Malaria Rate by Country 2024

Malaria is a severe disease caused by a plasmodium parasite and transmitted to humans through infected mosquitos. Its symptoms are similar to the flu and include a headache, chills, and a high fever. The severity of the disease depends on the specific parasite. In some cases, the disease can cause death. However, the disease is often preventable and treatable.

Malaria is more common in some countries than others. Tropical locations tend to support mosquito life and the development of the parasite. Improved sanitation and medical treatments can stop or significantly slow the transmission rate; hence, wealthier and more developed nations tend to have fewer malaria cases.

About 90 percent of the world's malaria cases occur in Africa, and 96 percent of malaria deaths occur there. Uganda has more malaria cases than any other country. In any given year, about 10.3 million people are diagnosed with the disease. Uganda's population in 2023 was about 48.5 million, meaning about 21 percent of the population gets malaria annually. Malaria is also the leading cause of death in Uganda, especially in children. Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo also have high numbers of malaria cases.

Several countries, however, are malaria-free, according to the World Health Organization. Several Western Pacific and European countries were among the first to be certified malaria-free. For example, Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom have been malaria-free since at least 1963. The first Western Pacific countries certified were the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, and Tonga, also in 1963. The United States became malaria-free in 1970 and Canada in 1965. Countries are joining the malaria-free list continually. Azerbaijan, Belize, and Tajikistan were certified as malaria-free by the WHO in 2023.