GENEVA, Switzerland: Deaths linked to malaria last year rose last year, the World Health Organization said on Thursday, warning also of an increase in cases and resistance to current treatment.
There were some 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths recorded worldwide in 2024 — slightly up on the previous 12 months — underlining the mosquito-borne disease as a continuing serious global health issue.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the increase in deaths and cases, combined with funding cuts “threaten to roll back the progress we have made over the past two decades.”
But he added: “None of these challenges is insurmountable. With the leadership of the most-affected countries and targeted investment, the vision of a malaria-free world remains achievable.”
Africa remains by far the most-affected region, with 94 percent of cases and 95 percent of malaria deaths, the majority (75 percent) involving children under five.
Five countries — the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nigeria and Uganda — account for more than half of the number of cases, the WHO said in a new report.
But the global health agency said progress had still been made.
Since the WHO approved the first vaccines against malaria in 2021, 24 countries have introduced routine immunization programs.
Chemoprevention, which involves the use of medication to prevent infection during high-risk malaria seasons, is now being implemented in 20 countries, reaching 54 million children in 2024 — up from about 200,000 in 2021.
The WHO has now certified 47 countries and one territory as being exempt from malaria, including Cape Verde and Egypt in 2024, as well as Georgia, Suriname and East Timor in 2025.
Progress in the fight against malaria had already stalled in recent years, notably because of climate change, an increase in conflict and resistance to drugs and insecticides.
The WHO’s director of malaria and neglected tropical diseases, Daniel Ngamije, said underfunding of malaria response programs had exacerbated the challenges.
There was now an “obvious risk in massive uncontrolled resurgence of disease,” he added.
The WHO said its targets for cutting malaria deaths remained “far off track.”
The 610,000 deaths in 2024 correspond to 13.8 deaths per 100,000 people — more than three times the global target of 4.5 deaths per 100,000.
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WHO warns of increase in malaria cases and deaths
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WHO warns of increase in malaria cases and deaths
- 282 million cases of malaria, including 610,000 deaths, were recorded worldwide in 2024
- Africa remains by far the most-affected region, with 94 percent of cases and 95 percent of malaria deaths
Taiwan says Chinese drone made ‘provocative’ flight over South China Sea island
TAIPEI: A Chinese reconnaissance drone briefly flew over the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands at the top end of the South China Sea on Saturday, in what Taiwan’s defense ministry called a “provocative and irresponsible” move.
Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, reports Chinese military activity around it on an almost daily basis, including drones though they very rarely enter Taiwanese airspace.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said the Chinese reconnaissance drone was detected around dawn on Saturday approaching the Pratas Islands and flew in its airspace for eight minutes at an altitude outside the range of anti-aircraft weapons.
“After our side broadcast warnings on international channels, it departed at 0548,” it said in a statement.
“Such highly provocative and irresponsible actions by the People’s Liberation Army seriously undermine regional peace and stability, violated international legal norms, and will inevitably be condemned,” it added.
Taiwan’s armed forces will continue to maintain strict vigilance and monitoring, and will respond in accordance with the routine combat readiness rules, the ministry said.
Calls to China’s defense ministry outside of office hours on a weekend went unanswered.
In 2022, Taiwan’s military for the first time shot down an unidentified civilian drone that entered its airspace near an islet off the Chinese coast controlled by Taiwan.
Lying roughly between southern Taiwan and Hong Kong, the Pratas are seen by some security experts as vulnerable to Chinese attack due to their distance — more than 400 km (250 miles) — from mainland Taiwan.
The Pratas, an atoll which is also a Taiwanese national park, are only lightly defended by Taiwan’s military, but lie at a highly strategic location at the top end of the disputed South China Sea.
China also views the Pratas as its own territory.
Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, reports Chinese military activity around it on an almost daily basis, including drones though they very rarely enter Taiwanese airspace.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said the Chinese reconnaissance drone was detected around dawn on Saturday approaching the Pratas Islands and flew in its airspace for eight minutes at an altitude outside the range of anti-aircraft weapons.
“After our side broadcast warnings on international channels, it departed at 0548,” it said in a statement.
“Such highly provocative and irresponsible actions by the People’s Liberation Army seriously undermine regional peace and stability, violated international legal norms, and will inevitably be condemned,” it added.
Taiwan’s armed forces will continue to maintain strict vigilance and monitoring, and will respond in accordance with the routine combat readiness rules, the ministry said.
Calls to China’s defense ministry outside of office hours on a weekend went unanswered.
In 2022, Taiwan’s military for the first time shot down an unidentified civilian drone that entered its airspace near an islet off the Chinese coast controlled by Taiwan.
Lying roughly between southern Taiwan and Hong Kong, the Pratas are seen by some security experts as vulnerable to Chinese attack due to their distance — more than 400 km (250 miles) — from mainland Taiwan.
The Pratas, an atoll which is also a Taiwanese national park, are only lightly defended by Taiwan’s military, but lie at a highly strategic location at the top end of the disputed South China Sea.
China also views the Pratas as its own territory.
Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
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