In the first three months of 2026, 414 people in Gauteng (South Africa) were diagnosed with malaria and 11 died – more cases than the same period last year, in a province not known as a malaria zone. Climate change is expanding where the disease can survive and spread. That shift is already happening in South Africa. And now, it’s travelling.
Malaria transmission is closely linked to climate. Malaria is spread by mosquitoes, which thrive in warm and humid conditions. Recent periods of heavy rainfall and flooding have created ideal breeding environments across parts of Southern Africa. These conditions increase mosquito populations and extend the time during which transmission can occur…
Source: Global Climate Risks Platform
Global Climate Risks Platform
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Global Risks: A Worldwide Climate Challenge
Explore the full spectrum of climate risks threatening the planet, from extreme weather and rising seas to health and economic disruptions, all driven by a warming world.- Health: The Global Climate Risks Platform's Health Risks section explores how climate change intensifies health threats worldwide.
- Extreme Weather: Explore how Arctic warming contributes to more frequent and intense extreme weather events worldwide — including wildfires, droughts, heatwaves, cold snaps, and heavy rainfall leading to floods.
- Sea Level Rise: Sea level rise, driven by melting ice and warming water, threatens coastal cities, ecosystems, and millions of lives through flooding and land loss.
- The total overview...
