A quick, affordable, non-invasive detection tool could help accelerate progress in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals' target to eliminate malaria, say researchers who developed it.
The coronavirus pandemic interrupted efforts to control malaria, resulting in 63,000 additional deaths and 13 million more infections. That's according to a World Health Organization report released Thursday. Malaria cases went up in 2020 and continued to increase in 2021 the year covered by the report. About 95% of the world’s 247 million malaria infections and 619,000 deaths last year were in Africa. A top WHO official says the wider rollout of the world's first vaccine against the disease should reduce severe illness and death. Officials are also worried about a new invasive mosquito species that could undo years of progress against malaria.