The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a statement, warning of an “extreme surge” in malaria cases in Ethiopia.
In an Ethiopia Health Cluster Bulletin report released Monday evening, the United Nations agency said the East African country reported over 5.9 million malaria cases, including 1,023 deaths, between the start of this year and Sept. 22.
This is an “extremely concerning malaria surge” as compared to 4.5 million cases reported between January 1st and December 31st last year, according to the report.
Most cases were recorded in Oromia, Amhara, Southwest Ethiopia, South Ethiopia, and Benishangul-Gumuz, with 50 percent of the total cases identified in Oromia, Ethiopia’s largest region.
The WHO found that since 2018, the number of malaria cases reported yearly has been continuously increasing in Ethiopia.
Malaria is endemic in Ethiopia with higher prevalence in areas below 2,000 meters of altitude, which covers three-quarters of the country’s land mass, with an estimated population of 52 million.
MG/as/APA