Understanding malaria
Why is malaria so dangerous?

Malaria is one of the world’s most dangerous diseases, and infects more than 300 million people each year. The most serious form can kill, but other milder types still make you feel very ill, causing fever and sweating that return at regular intervals for years if the disease is not treated properly.

Every year at least 1 million people die from malaria, and every 30 seconds an African child dies from the disease.

Malaria is particularly dangerous in young children who have little resistance to the infection. The World Health Organization advises against taking babies or young children on holiday to malarious areas, particularly where there is drug resistance to the most dangerous form of malaria. Malaria is also very dangerous for pregnant women.