The Mpumalanga Department of Health is urging residents to remain cautious amid a sharp rise in confirmed malaria cases in the province, with more than 300 cases recorded last month alone.
According to the department’s Director for Communicable Diseases, Mandla Zwane, the increase has been linked directly to recent flooding, which has created ideal breeding conditions for malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Zwane said the Ehlanzeni District is among the hardest-hit areas.
We are saying there is an increase of cases this year compared to last year because last year the whole January we had 69 cases. But if you look now, we have 314 cases.
The department’s spokesperson, Dumisani Malamule, said a province-wide malaria awareness campaign will be rolled out to educate communities on prevention and early detection.
Image: Mpumalanga Health has issued a malaria warning, urging residents to watch for symptoms and seek testing immediately if they feel unwell.
Health officials have reminded residents that malaria symptoms usually appear 7 to 21 days after a mosquito bite, stressing that early testing and treatment can prevent severe illness and save lives.