Australia Confirms Local and Travel Related Malaria Patients

While about half of the world’s population is at risk of malaria, the African Region accounts for about 95% of all cases.

However, this mosquito-transmitted disease has been detected in various unusual locations in 2025.

In the Western Pacific region, which includes Australia, Papua New Guinea (PNG), New Zealand, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands, malaria cases have been reported.

Malaria in Australia is commonly recorded in returned international travellers, with about 100 imported cases recorded in Queensland each year. But so have locally acquired cases.

For example, Queensland Health recently reported a second locally acquired malaria case in a Torres Strait LGA resident.

As of June 2, 2025, investigations into this malaria case are ongoing.

In 2025, 71 malaria notifications were reported, of which 97% were related to international travel, predominantly with PNG and the Solomon Islands.

The last locally acquired malaria outbreak in the Torres Strait was in 2023, with five cases detected in northern Torres Strait Islands.

From a disease prevention perspective, neither malaria vaccine is offered in Australia as of June 6, 2025.