Malaria registers gradual surge across Sindh

Malaria cases in Sindh are experiencing a gradual increase, with over 900 confirmed cases reported in a single day on August 24, 2026, according to official statistics. Out of the total 10,033 suspected patients screened that day, 916 tested positive for the mosquito-borne infection. The Hyderabad division reported the most cases at 410, followed by Larkana division with 208 cases, Mirpurkhas division with 174 cases, Benazirabad division with 87 cases, Sukkur division with 77 cases, and Karachi division with 10 cases.

Information from Karachi-based health practitioners suggests that the actual number of malaria patients in the city is likely higher. Dr Imran Sarwar Shaikh, Additional Medical Superintendent at Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, noted that while malaria cases are reported throughout the year, their numbers have increased over the past three weeks.

Most of the cases are vivax malaria, which can lead to severe disease and death if the 14-day treatment protocol is not followed. Dr Altaf Hussain Khatri, a senior general practitioner and member of the Pakistan Medical Association, attributed the rise in malaria cases to ongoing weather conditions and the city's broken sewerage system.

Experts called for fumigation drives and improved sewerage networks to contain the mosquito population. In 2025, at least 103 people died from mosquito-borne diseases across Sindh, with 23 of them dying at a Karachi hospital due to malaria. The Indus Hospital recorded 8,883 dengue cases in 2025, with 40 deaths, and 2,719 malaria patients, with 23 deaths from the parasitic disease.