Egypt has officially been declared malaria-free, with the World Health Organization (WHO) hailing the achievement as “truly historic” after nearly a century of dedicated efforts to eradicate the disease, the BBC reported. 

“Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued the pharaohs now belongs to its history,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Egypt began its fight against the mosquito-borne infectious disease almost 100 years ago. Certification is awarded when a country can prove it has interrupted the transmission of malaria for at least three consecutive years. Malaria still claims the lives of at least 600,000 people annually, the vast majority of whom are in Africa.

In its statement, the WHO commended “the Egyptian government and people” for their successful efforts to “end a disease that has been present in the country since ancient times.”

Egypt is now the third country in the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region to receive this certification, following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco. Globally, a total of 44 countries and one territory have reached this milestone.

The WHO emphasized that this certification marks “the beginning of a new phase,” urging Egypt to remain vigilant in order to maintain its malaria-free status.

For certification, a country must demonstrate its ability to prevent the re-establishment of malaria transmission. The WHO highlighted that Egypt’s initial attempts to reduce human-mosquito contact began in the 1920s by restricting rice cultivation and other agricultural crops near residential areas.

Malaria, caused by a parasite transmitted through mosquito bites, has seen progress in control efforts, with vaccines now being deployed in some regions. However, monitoring the disease and preventing mosquito bites remain the most effective preventive measures.

“Receiving the malaria elimination certificate today is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new phase,” said Egypt’s Health Minister, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar. “We must now work tirelessly and vigilantly to sustain our achievement through maintaining the highest standards for surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment.”

In the 1940s, malaria cases in Egypt surged to over three million due to population displacement during World War II. The construction of the Aswan Dam in the 1960s also increased malaria risks by creating mosquito breeding grounds through standing water. However, by 2001, Egypt had brought malaria “firmly under control,” according to the WHO.

Meanwhile, Nigeria continues to bear the highest malaria burden, accounting for more than a quarter of all malaria deaths globally, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Mozambique.