Northern Africa Confronted by Malaria Outbreak

The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed serious concerns about a likely spike in preventable diseases in Ethiopia’s northern regions, particularly Tigray.

According to WHO news on October 28, 2022, malaria infections have risen by 80% in Tigray.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus – an ethnic Tigrayan - has repeatedly echoed widespread concerns about the crisis.

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.

Four African countries accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths worldwide: Nigeria (31.9%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (13.2%), the United Republic of Tanzania (4.1%), and Mozambique (3.8%).

The U.S. CDC says malaria parasites have a complex life cycle, and there is a poor understanding of the complex immune response to malaria infection. Malaria parasites are also genetically complex, producing thousands of potential antigens.

And acquired immunity only partially protects against future disease.

As of 2021, malaria became a vaccine-preventable disease.

The Mosquirix (RTS,S/AS01) vaccine is available in the African countries of Malawi, Kenya, and Ghana and received WHO Pre-Qualification on September 2022.

Malaria vaccine news is posted at Vax-Before-Travel.