Seventeen people died of malaria in Gauteng between January and September 2026, the Gauteng Department of Health said. The province recorded 768 infections over the same nine months.
The department said cases rose by 38.6% compared with the same period in 2025. That period had 554 infections and six deaths.
“Although Gauteng is regarded as a non-endemic province, residents remain at risk of contracting malaria when travelling to areas where the disease is prevalent,” the department said, according to IOL.
Gauteng recorded 666 malaria cases and seven deaths in the whole of 2025. The first nine months of 2026 have already passed both figures.
The department said 15 of the 17 people who died had travelled to countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. That is 88.2% of the deaths. About 59% of the deaths were linked to travel to Mozambique.
“Of particular concern is that 15 (88.2%) of the 17 people who died in 2026 had a travel history to countries within the SADC region,” the department said.
The department asked residents to get medical advice before they travel to malaria areas. It said more people are expected to visit neighbouring countries over the festive season.
“The Department is appealing to residents travelling to malaria endemic areas to visit travel clinics available in the five health districts and take appropriate precautions before and during their journeys,” it said.
The department said common symptoms include fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting. It warned that malaria can kill if symptoms are ignored or treatment comes late.
“Malaria is a serious but preventable and treatable disease,” the department said.
“Anyone who develops these symptoms while travelling to, or after returning from, a malaria endemic area should seek medical attention immediately and inform healthcare workers about their travel history,” it said.
The department said it is stepping up malaria prevention, tracking and control in all five health districts. Environmental Health Practitioners are investigating reported infections. They are checking whether patients caught malaria locally or outside South Africa.
The province is also auditing malaria deaths to find out what contributed to them. Healthcare workers are getting extra training to spot suspected cases, because the disease is not common in Gauteng.
“The Department also monitors reported cases daily to identify emerging trends and facilitate timely interventions,” it said.
The department said it is running more awareness campaigns at taxi ranks and bus stations before the festive travel season. On Wednesday, 11 November, it held a campaign at Holomisa Sports Grounds in Bekkersdal on the West Rand. Residents there were taught how malaria spreads, what the symptoms are and how to prevent it.
The department said it will keep working with municipalities, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the National Department of Health on malaria prevention and control.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL. Image: IOL. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.