• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has certified Egypt as malaria-free, marking a significant public health milestone for a country with more than 100 million inhabitants. 

• Certification of malaria elimination is granted by WHO when a country has proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that the chain of indigenous malaria transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes has been interrupted nationwide for at least the previous three consecutive years. A country must also demonstrate the capacity to prevent the re-establishment of transmission.

• The achievement follows a nearly 100-year effort by the Egyptian government and people to end a disease that has been present in the country since ancient times.

• Egypt is the third country to be awarded a malaria-free certification in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, and the first since 2010. Globally, a total of 44 countries and one territory have reached this milestone.

Some facts on malaria:

• Malaria is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some types of mosquitoes. It is mostly found in tropical countries. It is preventable and curable, and does not spread from person to person.

• It is caused by Plasmodium parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, called “malaria vectors”. 

• There are five parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and two of these species – Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax – pose the greatest threat. 

• Malaria mostly spreads to people through the bites of some infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Blood transfusion and contaminated needles may also transmit malaria. 

• The first symptoms — fever, headache, and chills — may be mild and difficult to recognise as malaria. If not treated within 24 hours, P. falciparum malaria can progress to severe illness, often leading to death.

• Symptoms usually start within 10-15 days of getting bitten by an infected mosquito.

• Symptoms may be mild for some people, especially for those who have had a malaria infection before. Because some malaria symptoms are not specific, getting tested early is important. 

• Some types of malaria can cause severe illness and death. 

• Infants, children under 5 years, pregnant women, travellers and people with HIV or AIDS are at higher risk. 

Severe symptoms include:

i) Extreme tiredness and fatigue. 

ii) Impaired consciousness

iii) Multiple convulsions

iv) Difficulty breathing

v) Dark or bloody urine

vi) Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin) 

vii) Abnormal bleeding.

• Malaria can be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites and by taking medicines.

Key points of the World Malaria Report 2023:

• Globally in 2022, there were an estimated 249 million malaria cases in 85 malaria endemic countries and areas.

• Malaria case incidence declined from 81 per 1,000 population at risk in 2000 to 57 in 2019. Following a small increase of 3 per cent in 2020, incidence rates have remained stable over the past 3 years. In 2022, malaria case incidence was 58 per 1,000 population at risk. 

• As many as 29 countries accounted for 95 per cent of malaria cases globally. Four countries – Nigeria (27 per cent), Congo (12 per cent), Uganda (5 per cent) and Mozambique (4 per cent) – accounted for almost half of all cases globally.

• The WHO African Region, with an estimated 233 million cases in 2022, accounted for about 94 per cent of cases globally.

• The WHO South-East Asia Region accounted for about 2 per cent of malaria cases globally.

• In 2022, India accounted for 66 per cent of cases in the region. Almost 46 per cent of all cases in the region were due to P. vivax. Sri Lanka was certified malaria free in 2016 and remains malaria free.

• The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 608,000 in 2022 compared to 610,000 in 2021.

• Globally, the malaria mortality rate (deaths per 100,000 population at risk) halved from about 29 in 2000 to 15 in 2015. It then continued to decrease but at a slower rate, falling to 14 in 2019. 

• In 2020, the mortality rate increased again, to 15.2, before decreasing slightly to 14.3 in 2022. About 96 per cent of malaria deaths globally were in 29 countries. 

• Four countries accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths globally in 2022 – Nigeria (31 per cent), Congo (12 per cent), Niger (6 per cent) and Tanzania (4 per cent).

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