Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
ZIMBABWE has emerged from its peak malaria transmission season, amid an alarming surge in cases and deaths, prompting renewed calls for early detection, treatment, and prevention, particularly in high-risk rural areas.
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the country recorded 111 998 malaria cases and 317 malaria-related deaths between January and mid-June 2025, marking a sharp increase compared to the same period last year 29 085 cases and 51 deaths.
The rise is attributed to heavier-than-usual rains, erratic temperatures and increased outdoor economic activities that left many Zimbabweans vulnerable to mosquito bites.
The most affected provinces, Mashonaland Central with 41,856 cases and 77 deaths, Manicaland 25 871 cases and 65 deaths and Mashonaland West 22 202 cases and 66 deaths, accounted for nearly 80 percent of all reported infections.
Experts warn that the dramatic increase in deaths is largely due to delays in accessing treatment, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care is encouraging citizens to take preventive measures, including wearing long-sleeved clothing, sleeping under insecticide-treated nets and seeking treatment within 24 hours of symptom onset.
With winter now in effect, government officials hope transmission rates will fall, but stress that malaria remains a major public health threat, particularly in rural communities.
