The Ministry of Health has raised a red flag over the sudden increase in the number of people suffering from malaria across the country.

Dozens of deaths have been recorded over the past few months, raising fears that urgent solutions should be devised to control the outbreak.

Speaking to the media in Kampala about the surge in malaria cases, Margaret Muhanga, the state minister for Health in charge of Primary Health Care, revealed that the country is experiencing an outbreak of Malaria in selected parts of the country.

In the past one week, she said a total of 28 malaria deaths from health facilities in Arua, Kagadi and Mbale districts.

"Approximately 50% of severe malaria cases are reported with anaemia requiring blood transfusion. Up to 7% of the admitted malaria cases had either dark coloured or blood in the urine. The test positivity rates among patients reporting with fever is over 60%," she said.

She said they had integrated malaria response in the existing Covid-19 coordination and management structures, saying this would be easier because the same people are also doing malaria surveillance.

"We have put in place a system for community surveillance and to confirm and track community deaths. The Ministry of Health boosted epidemic response by distributing 60,000 long lasting mosquito nets to 16 most affected districts," she said.