Gauteng records 414 malaria cases and 11 deaths in first quarter of 2026

Cases and fatalities exceed full-year 2025 totals, with health officials linking surge to festive season travel to endemic regions.

The Gauteng health department reported 414 confirmed malaria cases and 11 deaths between January and March 2026, according to surveillance data released on 19 April¹²³. The deaths in the first quarter already exceeded the seven fatalities recorded across all of 2025, when the province registered 666 cases¹²⁶.

The figures represent an increase from the same period in 2025, when 230 cases and one death were reported¹²³. The department attributed the rise to travel during the festive season to malaria-endemic regions, including Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi¹²⁴⁵. Tebogo Matjokotja, programme manager for communicable disease control at the department, said most of the 11 deaths involved people who had travelled to Mozambique, with nine cases linked to that country⁴.

The department urged residents to seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, and fatigue, particularly after travelling to high-risk areas¹²⁶. Matjokotja advised that individuals experiencing flu-like symptoms with high fever, nausea, and chills should consult healthcare providers quickly⁴. The department warned that delays in diagnosis and treatment can lead to severe illness and death¹².

Malaria is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito¹²³. The department recommended preventive measures including the use of insect repellent and protective clothing to reduce infection risk⁶.

The World Health Organisation reported in February 2026 that recent floods in Limpopo and Mpumalanga created conditions for increased malaria transmission risk in South Africa⁵. Researchers from the University of Pretoria warned that the floods had created an environment conducive to Anopheles mosquitoes, which carry malaria⁵. The January floods damaged 78 schools, 138 health facilities, and 59 farms, prompting the government to declare a state of national disaster⁵.