Ethiopia reports 328,881 new malaria cases since Jan. 1: WHO

Malaria cases are surging in Ethiopia with 328,881 new cases reported since the beginning of this year, the World Health Organization said.

Between Jan. 1 and 28, 84 deaths were reported across the East African country, up by 16 percent month on month, according to the WHO Ethiopia Health Cluster Bulletin report released late Thursday.

Health partners are mobilizing resources to support malaria prevention, treatment, and awareness campaigns across the country, the report said.

In November, the WHO said Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populous nation, had recorded the highest number of malaria cases in at least seven years.

Malaria is endemic in Ethiopia with higher prevalence in areas below 2,000 meters of altitude, which cover three-quarters of the country's land mass, with an estimated population of 52 million.