Thirty-five malaria cases were reported in Sri Lanka up to September 2025, with one fatality recorded, according to Dr. Indiwari Gunaratne, Community Physician of the Anti-Malaria Campaign.
She said that 83% of the patients were men, and 80% were Sri Lankan nationals who had contracted the disease abroad before returning home.
“About 77% of these patients were infected with Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for cerebral malaria — a severe and potentially fatal form that can cause multi-organ complications,” Dr. Gunaratne explained.
She noted that 86% of the patients have made a full recovery without any complications.
Dr. Gunaratne added that the majority of recent infections were among pilgrims travelling to destinations such as Myanmar, Thailand, and Dambadiva, as well as Sri Lankans visiting African nations for employment or training purposes.
She urged all outbound travellers to obtain preventive anti-malarial medication before visiting countries where malaria is prevalent, noting that these medicines are provided free of charge through regional malaria control units and the Anti-Malaria Campaign. (Newswire)