Severe Malaria Causes 6.2% Fatality Rate Mainly in African Children

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Health Ministry informed the media that a previously unidentified disease detected in the Kwango province has been determined to be a form of severe malaria.

The WHO previously reported cases were from nine out of 30 health areas in the Panzi health zone.

"The mystery has finally been solved. It's a case of severe malaria in the form of a respiratory illness," the Health Ministry announced on December 17, 2024. The statement also said that 592 cases had been reported since October 2024, with a fatality rate of 6.2%.

Children aged 0-14 years represent 64.3% of all reported cases.

On December 11, 2024, The Lancet published a Comment that stated, 'the rapid spread of artemisinin partial resistance across east Africa, the Horn of Africa, and southern Africa threatens to undermine malaria control and elimination efforts, potentially increasing deaths.'

The WHO wrote on December 8, 2024, that the overall risk level to the affected communities is assessed as high.

At the regional and global levels, the risk remains low. However, the proximity of the affected area to the border with Angola raises concerns about potential cross-border transmission, and continued monitoring and cross-border coordination will be essential to mitigate this risk. 

Two malaria vaccines are currently available in Africa but have yet to be deployed in this area of the DRC.

The U.S. CDC says to visit your healthcare provider at least a month before your trip to the DRC to get vaccines or medicines, as there are current reports of measles, mpox, and polio disease.