Re-emergence of malaria in Karen State, Myanmar: has the battle of Burma been lost?

Our study provides evidence that the disruption of services (early diagnosis and treatment) caused by the COVID-19 pandemic followed by insecurity, explains the resurgence of malaria in Karen State in Myanmar. Population movements and the clonal expansion of a specific parasite lineage were likely contributing factors. However, the decline recorded in 2024 in the number of cases and the near absence of malaria mortality showed that despite the difficulties, the malaria control system has been successful in containing the crisis. The battle for malaria control in Burma has not been lost, but the future remains uncertain.