Malaria in Angola this year caused 486 deaths from a total of 490,354 cases of the disease, the leading cause of death in the country, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
The data are contained in the daily report of the Interministerial Commission to Combat Endemics of the Angolan Ministry of Health, Monday, which Lusa agency had access to.
In the last 24 hours, the province of Uíge was the one with the highest number of cases (1,153) and deaths (2), followed by Benguela, with 992 cases and an equal number of deaths.
The Weekly Bulletin of Potentially Epidemic Diseases, referring to the country’s fifth epidemiological week, in the period between January 28 and February 3, reports that 119,966 cases were reported, with 166 deaths.
Of this total, also the province of Uíge leads the list of cases with 20,566 of the total, as well as of deaths, with 52 deaths.
The numbers indicate a significant increase in cases, compared to the previous week, when 59,994 occurrences were registered.
In 2018, Angolan health authorities registered 4.4 million cases, of which 9,599 resulted in deaths.
Malaria is the leading cause of death, hospitalization, absenteeism and school absenteeism in Angola.