This archive report was first published on 13 August 2019.
Uganda is grappling with a severe malaria outbreak, with over one million people infected in the last two months, according to health officials.
Published on August 13, 2019, officials have linked the rapid rise in cases to climate change, which has led to the disease appearing in regions previously malaria-free due to a mild climate.
The prolonged June rains have created an ideal breeding environment for mosquitoes that transmit the infectious disease, exacerbating the situation.
Compared to the same period last year, there has been a 40% increase in cases, with the health ministry attributing this to a combination of factors, including a reduction in the use of mosquito bed-nets.
Although the Ugandan government distributed 38 million mosquito bed-nets between February 2017 and March 2018, those distributed in 2017 have begun to age, leading to a decrease in their effectiveness.
Uganda is not alone in its struggle with malaria, as neighboring Burundi is also battling a severe epidemic, with nearly six million cases reported since January and over 1,800 deaths.
