Zimbabwe has recorded a sharp surge in malaria cases, making it one of the countries with the steepest increases in Southern Africa this year, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has reported.
By July 2025, the country had registered 111,998 suspected cases and 310 deaths, a dramatic jump from 29,031 cases and 49 deaths during the same period last year.
Africa CDC warned that the surge is placing a heavy strain on Zimbabwe’s health services. The agency said:
“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.
“Although malaria is endemic across sub-Saharan Africa, Zimbabwe’s rising numbers mirror a broader regional trend.
“Neighbouring 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.
“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 neighbours are to reverse the rising tide.”
Health experts say low uptake of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) has heightened community exposure, leaving households vulnerable and stretching frontline health workers to their limits.
Leave a Reply Cancel reply