The World Health Organization has officially recognized Egypt as a malaria-free country, the organization said in a press release. The basis for this was confirmation beyond reasonable doubt that the chain of transmission of the infection by Anopheles mosquitoes has been consistently interrupted throughout the country for at least the previous three consecutive years, as well as the nation's ability to effectively prevent its resumption.
Malaria control at the national level lasted for almost 100 years, with stable control achieved by 2001, and a small outbreak in Aswan Governorate in 2014 was quickly contained. Egypt, with a population of over 100 million, became the third malaria-free country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region after the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, and the first since 2010. A total of 44 countries and one territory have achieved this status worldwide.