Egypt has been declared malaria-free by the World Health Organization.
Egypt is the third country in the Eastern Mediterranean region WHO has acknowledged as malaria-free, following Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. In all, 44 countries and one territory have this designation.
WHO labels a country malaria-free when it can showcase “beyond reasonable doubt” that the disease has gone three consecutive years prior to the certification without spread, by way of the Anopheles species of mosquitoes, also known as marsh mosquitoes. Countries must also show that it has effective prevention measures in place.
“This certification of Egypt as malaria-free is truly historic, and a testament to the commitment of the people and government of Egypt to rid themselves of this ancient scourge,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement. “I congratulate Egypt on this achievement, which is an inspiration to other countries in the region, and shows what’s possible with the right resources and the right tools.”
The disease was first detected in the country as early as 4,000 B.C.E., the WHO said, although efforts to curb the spread of malaria began in the 1920s. At the time, Egypt banned growing rice and other crops near homes.
The first malaria control station was opened in Egypt in 1930, when malaria had a prevalence of about 40% and was deemed a “notifiable disease,” WHO said.
There were more than 3 million cases amid World War II, but they were contained through more treatment centers and the intense recruitment of medical workers.
Cases spiked again in 1969, due to the construction of the Aswan Dam. The standing water led to increased breeding among mosquitoes. There was another spike in Aswan in 2014, but cases were controlled early on, the WHO said.
Malaria testing and diagnoses are free for all Egyptian residents.
“Receiving the malaria elimination certificate today is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new phase,” Egypt Deputy Prime Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said. “We must now work tirelessly and vigilantly to sustain our achievement through maintaining the highest standards for surveillance, diagnosis and treatment, integrated vector management and sustaining our effective and rapid response to imported cases.”
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