Indonesia records unprecedented malaria surge as warming climate expands mosquito habitats

Indonesia's Ministry of Health reported a record 706,297 malaria cases in 2025, marking a 69% increase over the 418,546 cases recorded in 2023. Scientists at Australia's Monash University attribute the surge to hotter temperatures and shifting rainfall that expand the range of Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes, vectors for malaria and dengue haemorrhagic fever. Their research, published in Science Advances, emphasizes that climate effects on transmission vary by season and region but overall worsen disease risk.

Lead researcher Toby Cumming warned that global malaria cases have risen 8.5% over the past decade, calling for stronger prevention and response. Associate professor Henry Surendra highlighted past successes in reducing malaria through control measures, while urban growth fuels dengue spread. Collaborative efforts with Indonesia's Ministry of Health focus on identifying climatic, environmental, and demographic factors in areas such as East Kalimantan, and on coordinating vector control and vaccination strategies, including Wolbachia-based interventions.