Maputo — The Mozambican health authorities recorded 496 deaths from malaria in 2025.

The figure is an increase of 39 per cent compared to 2024, when 358 malaria deaths were recorded.

Most people infected by the malaria parasite make a full recovery. While the annual number of malaria deaths is a few hundred, the number of cases of the disease is measured in the millions.

Thus, the number of known cases of malaria rose by 11 per cent last year, when 12.8 million cases were registered, compared to 11.6 million in 2024.

According to Inês António, chairperson of the National Malaria Control Programme in the Ministry of Health, cited by the independent daily "O Pais', of the total 12.8 million cases recorded in 2025, 4.8 million were in children under five years of age.

"We currently have guidance for the general population that there is correct diagnosis and treatment for malaria. There is no need for deaths from malaria. We want the population to receive and complement the guidelines so that the number of these cases is reduced", she said.

According to the health authorities, at least 49 people died from malaria in the first six weeks of the current year, out of 1,357,891 known cases.