The latest numbers
malaria victims per year
malaria deaths per year
Nets distributed (2021)**
People protected (2021)**
**Via the Buy One, Give One program.
Malaria is still one of the deadliest diseases in the world, with more than 241 million victims and approximately 627.000* deaths per year, mostly children under the age of 5. This infectious disease also means that children cannot go to school, families cannot invest in their future, and communities cannot develop. Malaria has a major impact on human lives, livelihoods and the progress of countries.
*Source: World Health Organisation
Good news:
China and El Salvador have been certified as Malaria-free in 2021.
Less good news:
14 million more malaria cases and 47 000 more deaths in 2020 compared to 2019, due to disruptions to services during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bad news:
24 nations have registered increases in malaria mortality. The first time since 2015 and jeopardizing the 2030 goal of eradication of malaria.
WHO key results:
- Of the 31 countries that had planned insecticide-treated mosquito net (ITN) campaigns in 2020, 18 (58%) completed their campaigns by the end of that year; 72% (159 million) of the ITNs from the planned campaigns had been distributed by the end of 2020.
- Thirteen of the 31 countries (42%) were left with 63 million ITNs that were initially planned for distribution in 2020 but spilled over to 2021. Among these 13 countries, six (46%) had distributed less than 50% of their ITNs by the end of 2020. By October 2021, only Kenya and South Sudan had not completed distribution of all spillover ITNs.
- Protected with SMC in 2020 compared with 2019, mainly because of the expansion of SMC to new areas in Nigeria.
- 241 million malaria cases in 2020 in 85 malaria endemic countries.
- Twenty-nine countries accounted for 96% of malaria cases globally, and six countries – Nigeria (27%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12%), Uganda (5%), Mozambique (4%), Angola (3.4%) and Burkina Faso (3.4%) – accounted for about 55% of all cases globally.
- The WHO African Region, with an estimated 228 million cases in 2020, accounted for about 95% of cases.
- Globally, malaria deaths reduced steadily over the period 2000–2019, from 896 000 in 2000 to 562 000 in 2015 and to 558 000 in 2019. In 2020, malaria deaths increased by 12% compared with 2019, to an estimated 627 000; an estimated 47 000 (68%) of the additional 69 000 deaths were due to service disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The percentage of total malaria deaths in children aged under 5 years reduced from 87% in 2000 to 77% in 2020.
- About 96% of malaria deaths globally were in 29 countries. Six countries – Nigeria (27%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12%), Uganda (5%), Mozambique (4%), Angola (3%) and Burkina Faso (3%) – accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths globally in 2020.
Source: WHO
•African Region | • South East Asian Region | • Eastern Mediterranean Region | • Western Pacific Region | • Region of the Americas
Source: WHO
Countries with indigenous cases in 2000 and their status by 2020
Countries with zero indigenous cases for at least 3 consecutive years are considered to have eliminated malaria. In 2020, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Malaysia reported zero indigenous cases for the third consecutive year, and Belize and Cabo Verde reported zero indigenous cases for the second time. China and El Salvador were certified malaria free in 2021, following 4 years of zero malaria cases.
Source: WHO