Description
Malaria is an infectious parasitic disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite, transmitted mainly by the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Five species of Plasmodium are known to infect humans. These are: Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum), Plasmodium malariae (P. malariae), Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax), Plasmodium ovale (P. ovale) and Plasmodium knowlesi (P. knowlesi). Two of these five Plasmodium species responsible for human malaria are particularly dangerous.According to the World Health Organization’s latest estimates, the number of malaria cases in 2023 will be 249 million, an increase of cases compared with 2021. The WHO African Region continues to bear a disproportionate share of the global malaria burden. In 2022, it accounted for 95% of global malaria morbidity and mortality. Children under the age of 5 accounted for around 80% of all malaria deaths in the region, making malaria a major cause of child mortality.
