Health officials have attributed the increase largely to holiday travel to high‑risk malaria areas, including Limpopo, Mpumalanga and neighbouring countries such as Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, which increases exposure to malaria‑carrying mosquitoes.

Gauteng Communicable Disease Control Programme Manager Tebogo Matjokotja told Channel Africa on Tuesday that available surveillance information indicates most cases are imported, noting that Gauteng is regarded as non‑endemic for malaria.

Matjokotja called on residents to be transparent about travel history when visiting clinics and hospitals, saying travel details are essential for accurate case classification and hotspot mapping.

“Travel history and current place of stay in Gauteng Province are needed to support surveillance and identify hotspot areas,” Matjokotja said, adding that the information currently captured is useful but not always as complete as health teams require.

The department has activated intensified monitoring and response measures, including daily surveillance through SA’s notifiable medical conditions reporting system, which requires clinicians to report suspected and laboratory‑confirmed malaria cases.

After an increase in cases and deaths was noted in January, health teams began mapping cases by facility and geographic location, followed by targeted interventions to strengthen frontline readiness.

The department has rolled out refresher training for clinicians to increase vigilance and improve early detection, particularly as staff rotations and new placements can reduce familiarity with malaria diagnosis in non‑endemic areas.

Community awareness campaigns are also being expanded through outreach programmes, including “corner to corner” and townships, informal settlements and hostels initiatives. Outreach teams are educating communities on symptoms, prevention and when to seek urgent medical attention.

–ChannelAfrica–