Malaria in Rwanda declines by 3 million cases in three years

Kigali. Rwanda has recorded a sharp decline in malaria infection cases in the last three years, the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) said on Sunday one the occasion of World Malaria Day.

Malaria cases in Rwanda decreased from 4.8 million in 2017 to 1.8 million in 2020, and severe malaria infections dropped from 18,000 in 2016 to 3,000 in 2020, the RBC said in a statement.

Malaria related deaths also fell from 700 in 2016 to 148 in 2020, due to the efforts made by the government of Rwanda, as well as the participation of the communities.

Destruction of mosquito breeding sites through larviciding by drones, early malaria diagnostic tests and treatment are effective in the fight against malaria in the country, the RBC's malaria division head Aimable Mbituyumuremyi told Xinhua in a telephone interview on Sunday.

"As we join the rest of the world to mark World Malaria Day, we are happy to see positive progress and great achievements in malaria eradication in our country," Mbituyumuremyi said.

In Rwanda, malaria is often found in rainy seasons and mostly happens in forest and mountainous provinces