The coronavirus pandemic interrupted efforts to control malaria, resulting in 63,000 additional deaths and 13 million more infections. That’s according to a World Health Organization report released Thursday. Malaria cases went up in 2020 and continued to increase in 2021 — the year covered by the report. About 95% of the world’s 247 million malaria infections and 619,000 deaths last year were in Africa. A top WHO official says the wider rollout of the world’s first vaccine against the disease should reduce severe illness and death. Officials are also worried about a new invasive mosquito species that could undo years of progress against malaria.
WHO: COVID disruption resulted in 63,000 more malaria deaths
