Malaria Worldwide

2016-04-21

In 2012, an estimated 627,000 people died of malaria—most were young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Within the last decade, increasing numbers of partners and resources have rapidly increased malaria control efforts. This scale-up of interventions has saved 3.3 million lives globally and cut malaria mortality by 45%, leading to hopes and plans for elimination and ultimately eradication. CDC brings its technical expertise to support these efforts with its collaborative work in many malaria-endemic countries and regions.

Malaria’s Impact

Malaria occurs mostly in poor tropical and subtropical areas of the world. In many of the countries affected by malaria, it is a leading cause of illness and death. In areas with high transmission, the most vulnerable groups are young children, who have not developed immunity to malaria yet, and pregnant women, whose immunity has been decreased by pregnancy. The costs of malaria – to individuals, families, communities, nations – are enormous.