Zimbabwe has reported a sharp surge in malaria cases, placing it among the countries with the steepest spikes in Southern Africa in 2025, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has said.
The country recorded 111 998 suspected cases and 310 deaths by July 2025, a steep rise from 29 031 cases and 49 deaths during the same period last year.
Africa CDC said the rise had placed a heavy strain on health services.
“Data shows that 115 of Zimbabwe’s 1 705 health facilities have been affected, with Mashonaland Central Province alone accounting for 32% of all malaria cases. Meanwhile, Manicaland has reported 25% of the country’s malaria-related deaths, underscoring the uneven but severe toll of the disease,” the agency noted in a statement.
Health experts said the low uptake of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) has worsened community exposure, leaving households vulnerable and overstretching frontline health workers.
“Although malaria is endemic across sub-Saharan Africa, Zimbabwe’s rising numbers mirror a broader regional trend. Neighboring countries, including Botswana, eSwatini and Namibia have also reported fresh outbreaks this year, driven by shifting climate patterns, prolonged rainy seasons, and high-risk livelihoods like small-scale mining and agriculture,” Africa CDC said.
“Southern Africa has historically recorded lower malaria prevalence compared to central Africa, but changing weather patterns, cross-border migration, and gaps in prevention continue to fuel outbreaks. Experts say the situation demands faster, more targeted and sustained interventions if Zimbabwe and its neighbors are to reverse the rising tide.”
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