Surging Malaria Deaths, Vaccine Policy Shift, and Pork Import Ban Highlight Health Concerns

The WHO reports a rise in malaria deaths to 610,000 in 2024 due to increased drug resistance, climate change, and funding cuts. U.S. vaccine advisers revise hepatitis B guidance, limiting it to certain cases, reversing years of progress. Malaysia bans most pork imports from Spain amid African swine fever outbreak.

A significant increase in malaria deaths has been reported by the World Health Organization for 2024, with fatalities rising to approximately 610,000. The organization warns of increased dangers from drug-resistant strains, climate implications, and decreasing funding, calling attention to the heightened risks faced primarily by young children in sub-Saharan Africa.

In a dramatic policy shift, U.S. health advisers have abandoned a longstanding recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns. This change, championed by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., restricts the dose to infants whose mothers have unknown or positive hepatitis B status, a move seen as a setback by many health experts.

Amid concerns over an African swine fever outbreak, Malaysia has imposed a ban on most pork imports from Spain, announced the Veterinary Services Department. The restriction, which comes into effect immediately, exempts only retort pork products, highlighting the ongoing challenges in global animal health management.

(With inputs from agencies.)