ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said Ethiopia has recorded the highest number of malaria cases in at least seven years.
In an Ethiopia Health Cluster Bulletin report released on Thursday evening, the United Nations agency said there had been a 25 percent increase in malaria cases within a one-month time span across the East African country.
As of Oct. 29, 901 districts across Ethiopia excluding districts in the country's second most populous region of Amhara had reported at least one confirmed malaria case, pushing the nationwide reported malaria cases to 2,873,114, according to the report, adding that over 50 percent of the cases were reported from Ethiopia's largest region, Oromia.
The WHO cited ongoing security challenges for the inability to collect comprehensive data on malaria cases in the northern Ethiopia region.
Last month, the WHO warned of a significant malaria outbreak in Ethiopia. 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. ■