Global malaria cases in children under five rise by 40%

A global study published in Nature Medicine reveals a significant increase in malaria cases among children under the age of five. Research led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington examined data from 204 countries and territories between 2019 and 2023.

According to the findings, malaria cases in this age group rose to 15.6 million in 2023, up from 11.1 million in 2019. This represents a reversal of a long-term trend where cases had declined by nearly 80% between 1990 and 2019. Estimated deaths also increased from approximately 105,000 in 2019 to 118,000 in 2023.

The study attributes this trend partly to declining vaccination coverage. Global first-dose coverage for the malaria vaccine fell to 81% in 2023, compared to 83.6% in 2019. An estimated 23.7 million infants did not receive their first dose in 2023, with roughly half located in sub-Saharan Africa and 20% in South Asia. Researchers noted that recent outbreaks in the United States suggest the disease could resurface in high-income countries where immunity gaps exist.