Kigali, Oct 24 (IANS): Malaria cases rose significantly in Rwanda over the past nine months, according to the latest data from the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC).

From January to September, about 518,000 people were infected with malaria across the country, up from 370,000 during the same period last year, RBC reported on Wednesday. The data also revealed a toll of 61,000 deaths among those infected.

Aimable Mbituyumuremyi, head of the malaria division at RBC, attributed the increase to the rainy season, which created more breeding ground for malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

During the same period, around 1,900 cases of severe malaria were recorded. He said that malaria prevention and control measures would be strengthened, with more community health workers equipped to manage cases promptly and prevent severe outcomes.

Currently, community health workers in Rwanda handle about 60 per cent of malaria cases within their communities, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency.

Despite the recent rise in cases, Rwanda has achieved significant progress in reducing malaria cases by 88 per cent over the past seven years, thanks to widespread community engagement and other interventions, according to RBC data released earlier this year. Malaria incidence dropped from about 5 million cases in 2017 to 600,000 in 2023.

Rwanda aims to eliminate malaria by 2030.