Maputo — Maputo's Central Hospital has been forced to open special malaria wards as the Mozambican capital city fights one of its worst malaria outbreaks in recent years.

Maputo health director Olivia Ferreira said on Thursday that up to 300 cases per day of suspected malaria cases were reported to clinics and hospitals in the city of roughly 1,5 million people.

Ferreira said an estimated 150 new cases were reported at the Central Hospital alone, and described the situation as "critical".

"The outbreak is already worse than the same time last year, and Central Hospital has run out of beds. We have enough medicine to treat patients, but have had to open special emergency wards for the malaria patients and are still running out of space - even in the corridors," she said.

Mozambican hospitals reported 282 571 malaria cases in 2001, with 1 226 deaths attributed to the parasitic disease that is usually transmitted by mosquito.

"The current infection figures are frightening, but we are beginning to win the battle with the recent increase in blood supplies," Ferreira said.

Mozambican hospitals use blood transfers to treat anaemia associated with malaria fevers.

Mozambican Blood Bank director Jose Sam Gudo said the outbreak had stretched blood supplies over the festive season, but relief was expected when the country's schools reopen on January 21.

School children are Mozambique's primary blood donors.