Globally, 263 million cases of malaria were recorded in 2023, 11 million more than the previous year, with the African region accounting for 94 percent of cases.
Last year, Nigeria was the country with the most cases (68,136,000 cases), followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,141,000) and Uganda (12,573,000). Mozambique recorded 9,560,000 cases and Angola 8,251,000.
Five countries had the highest percentage of cases: Nigeria (26 percent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (13 percent), Uganda (5 percent), Ethiopia (4 percent) and Mozambique (4 percent).
The report indicates that the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region has seen a 57 per cent increase in incidence since 2021, rising to 17.9 cases per 1000 population in 2023.
In 2023, the number of deaths attributed to malaria was 597,000, with a case fatality rate of 13.7 per 100,000.
In this respect, the WHO African Region continues to bear the greatest burden of mortality, accounting for 95 per cent of the world’s estimated malaria deaths.
Last year, Azerbaijan, Belize, Cabo Verde and Tajikistan were certified as malaria-free. In 2024, Egypt also achieved malaria-free status, becoming the third country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to do so.
The report highlights some positive trends in global malaria control, with 12.7 million deaths averted worldwide between 2000 and 2023, including 12 million in the WHO African Region.
"In 2023 alone, more than 177 million cases and over 1 million deaths were averted globally," the document reads.
Progress has also been "remarkable" in countries with a low burden of the disease. The number of countries with fewer than 10,000 cases of malaria increased from 28 in 2000 to 47 in 2023, while countries with fewer than 10 cases increased from four to 25 over the same period.
"No one should die from malaria. However, the disease continues to disproportionately affect people living in the African region, especially young children and pregnant women," said the WHO director-general.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted that "a broad set of life-saving tools now offers better protection against disease, but more investment and action is needed in African countries".
As of November 2024, 44 countries and one territory have been certified as malaria-free by the WHO and many more are making steady progress towards the goal. Of the 83 countries where malaria is endemic, 25 countries now report fewer than 10 cases of malaria per year, an increase from four countries in 2000.
