Trinidad and Tobago Malaria Cases Heighten Travel Caution

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Health recently announced it is investigating a cluster of Malaria cases in South Trinidad, indicating a potential upsurge in 2025.

As of April 2, 2025, five malaria cases have been confirmed this year.

These five cases are in a well-defined geographic area, and the following field work has been conducted by the Insect Vector Control Division, after the identification of the first case on March 27, 2025:

The Ministry says Trinidad and Tobago, located east of Venezuela, is not endemic for malaria, and as such, most confirmed cases are imported and/or introduced.

Last year, over 200,000 people visited Trinidad and Tobago from a country in North America.

Over the period 2015 to 2024, there were 153 confirmed cases, which is an average of 15 cases per year.

Countries in the Region of the Americas, such as Trinidad and Tobago, reported over 500,000 malaria cases in 2023, a 5% increase from 2022. 

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says millions of residents travel to countries where virus-carrying mosquitoes transmit malaria.

As of week #11 ending March 15, 2025, the CDC confirmed 209 malaria cases in the U.S. this year, with Florida reporting eight travel-related malaria cases.

During 2024, the CDC confirmed 436 measles cases in the U.S.

While two malaria vaccines are available in 2025, neither is offered in the U.S.