Summary Malaria was responsible for 643 000 deaths (95% UI 302 000–1 150 000) in 2019. 356 000 deaths (169 000–626 000) occurred in children under 5 years, comprising 7·1% (4·0–10·4) of total deaths in that age group.

Definition This cause incorporates death and disability resulting from acute infection for both Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax and the long-term neurological consequences in a proportion of children who survive cerebral malaria.

Total sources
Incidence 4089
Prevalence 1616
Remission 0
Causes of death 3877
Other 5354
Table 1: Total sources used in GBD 2019 estimation
What is new in GBD 2019?
  • •Seven new national Plasmodium parasite rate surveys were added, amounting to 1929 household cluster points.
  • •An annual update for routine surveillance data (reported incidence) was completed for all malaria-endemic countries.
  • •New net delivery and use data for insecticide-treated bednets were acquired and models updated.
  • •A new model for effective treatment with an antimalarial drug was developed, which included sub-models for treatment seeking, drug-specific treatment failure, and proportional drug use.
  • •New intervention data for indoor residual spraying were obtained and mapped.
  • •A global case fatality rate approach was implemented to standardise mortality estimation methods in all endemic countries.
Prevalence
Incidence
Deaths
YLLs
YLDs
DALYs
Cases
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
Cases
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
Deaths
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
YLLs
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
YLDs
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
DALYs
(millions)
Rate (per 100 000)
2019
Both Sexes
181
(163
to 203)
2466·3
(2226·8
to 2773·0)
231
(186
to 290)
3247·0
(2602·1
to 4109·6)
0·643
(0·302
to 1·15)
9·0
(4·2
to 16·0)
43·8
(21·1
to 78·0)
632·0
(305·3
to 1122·5)
2·61
(1·82
to 3·65)
36·2
(25·1
to 50·6)
46·4
(23·5
to 80·1)
668·1
(337·3
to 1152·2)
Females
91·3
(82·3
to 103)
2541·6
(2294·0
to 2858·1)
116
(93·2
to 145)
3334·4
(2666·8
to 4223·5)
0·310
(0·147
to 0·550)
8·8
(4·2
to 15·6)
21·4
(10·3
to 37·0)
636·4
(307·6
to 1102·7)
1·57
(1·09
to 2·21)
43·9
(30·4
to 61·8)
22·9
(11·8
to 38·7)
680·3
(348·5
to 1148·6)
Males
89·4
(80·7
to 100)
2394·4
(2161·9
to 2689·4)
116
(92·9
to 145)
3164·0
(2537·4
to 4001·6)
0·334
(0·156
to 0·600)
9·1
(4·3
to 16·3)
22·5
(10·7
to 39·9)
628·9
(300·0
to 1117·9)
1·04
(0·720
to 1·46)
28·6
(19·8
to 40·2)
23·5
(11·7
to 41·0)
657·5
(327·1
to 1151·5)
Percentage change 2010-19
Both Sexes
–2·1%
(–12·2
to 10·1)
–7·8%
(–17·4
to 3·7)
–12·3%
(–23·3
to –2·1)
–16·3%
(–27·2
to –6·2)
–29·3%
(–53·1
to 1·1)
–34·4%
(–56·5
to –6·1)
–33·4%
(–55·7
to –4·6)
–36·1%
(–57·6
to –8·6)
–5·9%
(–13·3
to 3·3)
–10·8%
(–17·8
to –2·1)
–32·3%
(–53·9
to –4·5)
–35·1%
(–55·8
to –8·6)
Females
–1·4%
(–11·8
to 10·8)
–7·3%
(–16·9
to 4·4)
–11·9%
(–22·8
to –1·7)
–16·0%
(–26·9
to –5·9)
–29·7%
(–53·1
to 0·1)
–34·9%
(–56·4
to –7·7)
–34·2%
(–56·0
to –6·7)
–36·8%
(–57·7
to –10·7)
–3·3%
(–10·9
to 5·8)
–8·6%
(–15·9
to 0·1)
–32·7%
(–53·5
to –6·5)
–35·5%
(–55·6
to –10·5)
Males
–2·7%
(–12·7
to 9·3)
–8·3%
(–17·8
to 2·9)
–12·7%
(–23·7
to –2·4)
–16·6%
(–27·5
to –6·5)
–28·9%
(–53·0
to 3·0)
–34·1%
(–56·5
to –4·8)
–32·6%
(–55·6
to –3·3)
–35·5%
(–57·4
to –7·2)
–9·6%
(–16·8
to –0·6)
–13·9%
(–20·8
to –5·2)
–31·9%
(–53·7
to –3·4)
–34·8%
(–55·7
to –7·3)
Numbers in parentheses are 95% uncertainty intervals.
Table 2: Global prevalence, incidence, deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs in counts and age-standardised rates for both sexes combined, females, and males, 2019, with percentage change between 2010 and 2019
Deaths YLLs YLDs DALYs
1990 12th 9th 53rd 10th
2010 16th 7th 54th 8th
2019 21st 11th 58th 15th
Table 3: Rank among Level 3 causes for global deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs in 1990, 2010, and 2019, for both sexes combined
Figure 1: Composition of DALYs by YLLs and constituent sequelae YLDs for both sexes combined, 2019
No Legend
Figure 2: Age-standardised DALY rates for each location by SDI, both sexes combined, 2019
Figure 3: Composition of DALYs by YLLs and YLDs, age group, and sex, 2019
No Legend
Figure 4: Age-standardised DALY rates (per 100 000) by location, both sexes combined, 2019