Nearly 600,000 people died from malaria in 2023, with Africa accounting for the vast majority of cases and fatalities, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2024 World Malaria Report.
The report, released last December, estimates 263 million global malaria cases in 2023, resulting in 597,000 deaths.
As World Malaria Day approaches on April 25, WHO data reveals that Africa bears the heaviest burden, accounting for approximately 94% of global malaria cases and 95% of deaths, with 246 million infections reported on the continent last year.
More than half of all global malaria cases occurred in just five African nations: Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Mozambique.
Children under five remain the most vulnerable, accounting for 76% of malaria-related deaths worldwide.
An estimated 12.4 million pregnant women in 33 high-risk African countries contracted malaria in 2023, with interventions preventing around 551,000 cases of low birth weight.
While some progress has been made in other regions, with countries like Argentina and Paraguay being certified malaria-free, challenges persist.
In the Eastern Mediterranean, data gaps limit reporting in some high-risk countries. Europe has remained malaria-free since 2015.