In mainland France

In mainland France, the annual incidence of locally acquired malaria cases remains extremely low (3 to 4 cases per year, on average, between 1995 and 2022). These are mainly cases of “airport malaria” or “suitcase malaria” (1 to 2 cases per year, on average), and malaria acquired through mother-to-fetus transmission or via blood transfusion (1 to 2 cases per year, on average).

• For more information: Locally acquired malaria: a retrospective analysis of long-term surveillance data, European France, 1995 to 2022 | Eurosurveillance - Volume 29, Issue 41, October 10, 2024

Surveillance of imported malaria falls under the jurisdiction of the National Reference Center for Malaria (CNR du Paludisme).

France ranks first among Western countries in terms of the number of imported malaria cases reported to the National Reference Center for Malaria.

In the Overseas Departments

In French Guiana

French Guiana is the only French department where active malaria transmission occurs. The disease circulates there in an endemic-epidemic pattern throughout the year. The situation within the department is heterogeneous.

• See our regional bulletins

In Réunion and Mayotte

In Réunion, indigenous malaria was eradicated in 1979, but imported cases are reported every year.

In 2014, Mayotte was declared by the WHO to be in the malaria elimination phase. However, between 2016 and 2019, a resurgence of indigenous cases was observed. No indigenous cases were recorded in Mayotte between July 2020 and June 2025, until a new case was detected in July 2025—the first in five years.

• View our regional bulletins