Incidence of malaria is the number of new cases of malaria in a year per 1,000 population at risk.

Aggregation method:

Weighted average

Statistical concept and methodology:

Methodology: Confirmed malaria cases for countries and areas outside Africa, and for low-transmission countries and areas in Africa are adjusted for extent of health service use (treatment seeking), underreporting and lack of case confirmation (the likelihood that cases are parasite positive). In high transmission areas in which the quality of surveillance data does not permit a robust estimate from the number of reported cases, but good data on parasite prevalence is available, the number of cases can be estimated from parasite prevalence. The denominator is estimated, using official UN population and population at risk estimates for countries with sub-national endemicity. Statistical concept(s): Complete data on malaria cases reported through surveillance systems are the best source of data but are rarely available for large populations at high quality and accuracy. Reported data on malaria cases generally need to be adjusted for extent of health service use (treatment seeking), underreporting and lack of case confirmation (the likelihood that cases are parasite positive). WHO compiles data on reported confirmed cases of malaria and suspected cases tested with microscopy or RDT, submitted by national malaria control programmes. Underreporting is reported or estimated by countries. The extent of health service use (treatment seeking) data were obtained from nationally representative household surveys on health service use.

Development relevance:

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable. There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and 2 of these species – Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax – pose the greatest threat.

Other notes:

This is the Sustainable Development Goal indicator 3.3.3[https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].