TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan has reported 15 imported malaria cases so far this year, the highest number recorded for the same period since 2007, the Centers for Disease Control said Tuesday.

The cases, reported between January and Monday, involve patients ranging in age from their teens to over 60. Most infections were contracted during travel to African countries, per CNA.

According to the World Health Organization, there were 263 million malaria cases globally in 2023, resulting in 597,000 deaths. Africa accounted for 94% of cases and 95% of deaths worldwide.

The most recent case involves a teenage foreign national who traveled to Togo, West Africa, with his family in early July. During the two-week trip, he visited remote villages with poor sanitation, wore short sleeves and shorts, and was bitten by mosquitoes.

Malaria is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes, with symptoms typically appearing seven to 30 days after exposure. Severe cases can lead to complications such as spleen enlargement, jaundice, shock, and liver or kidney failure.

The CDC urges travelers to malaria-endemic regions to visit a travel medicine clinic at least one month before departure. Preventive measures include taking prescribed antimalarial medication, wearing light-colored long-sleeved clothing, using approved insect repellents, and staying in accommodations with window screens or mosquito nets.