Guidance

Country recommendations

Updated 17 June 2026

The UK Malaria Expert Advisory Group (UKMEAG) recommendations by country are summarised in the table, below.

Key to the country recommendations table

The table contains the following abbreviations:

• A/P = atovaquone-proguanil combination preparation
• BA only = bite avoidance plus awareness of risk
• D = doxycycline
• M = mefloquine
• C = chloroquine

Notes

1. The role of UKMEAG is to provide high level general guidance to help practitioners give specific advice for individual travellers.
2. Bite avoidance is advised for travel to all areas, including the malaria-free areas of the countries listed in this table, as a preventive measure against other insect vector-borne diseases.
3. Some countries not listed in this table may experience occasional instances of malaria transmission.
4. A recommendation for bite prevention plus awareness of risk does not mean there is no risk of malaria in the place in question but indicates that UKMEAG considers the level of risk to be below the threshold for routinely recommending chemoprophylaxis. Where bite avoidance is now the main preventive measure for a given area, rigorous adherence to the recommendations in bite prevention is strongly advised. In all cases, whether or not chemoprophylaxis has been advised, special attention must be given to bite prevention and febrile illness must be taken seriously and investigated promptly.
5. Long-term visitors visiting friends and relatives (VFR) run a higher risk of catching malaria than short-term travellers to the same location. Furthermore, once infected, the risk of developing severe or complicated malaria is higher in certain groups, such as the elderly (over 70 years old), the immunosuppressed, those with complex co-morbidities and pregnant women.
6. Although such travellers at increased risk of developing complicated malaria should not be offered antimalarials routinely for malaria risk areas where bite avoidance only is recommended, this may be considered in exceptional circumstances. Expert advice to support the practitioner is available from the MRL and NaTHNaC.
7. The final decision whether or not to advise chemoprophylaxis rests with the travel health advisor and the traveller after individual risk assessment has been performed.

For the latest information on outbreaks in affected countries, please check the NaTHNaC website.

Table of country recommendations

Country name	UKMEAG recommendations 2026
Afghanistan NaTHNaC country page	There is a low risk of malaria below 2,000m from May to November (BA only). There is a very low risk of malaria in this part of the country during the rest of the year (BA only).
Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India)	There is a low risk of malaria in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (BA only).
Angola NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Angola (A/P, D, M).
Argentina NaTHNaC page	In 2019 the World Health Orgnization (WHO) declared Argentina malaria-free. There is no risk of malaria (BA only)
Azerbaijan NaTHNaC page	In 2023 the WHO declared   Azerbaijan malaria-free. There is no risk of malaria (BA only).
Bangladesh NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in the Chittagong Hill Tract districts of Bangladesh (A/P, D, M). There is a very low risk in the rest of Bangladesh (including Chittagong city) (BA only).
Belize NaTHNaC page	In 2023 the WHO declared Belize malaria free. There is no risk of malaria in Belize (BA only).
Benin NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Benin (A/P, D, M).
Bhutan NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in the southern belt districts of Bhutan along the border with India: Chukha, Geyleg-phug, Samchi, Samdrup Jonkhar and Shemgang (BA only). There is no risk in the rest of Bhutan.
Bolivia NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in the Amazon basin of Bolivia (BA only). There is a low risk of malaria in other rural areas below 2,500 m (BA only). There is no risk above 2,500m. See the interactive malaria map for Bolivia.
Botswana NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria, from October to May, in the northern half of Botswana, including the Okavango Delta area (A/P, D, M). There is a low risk of malaria in this part of the country during the rest of the year (BA only). There is very low risk in the southern half of the country (BA only).
Brazil NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in the Amazon Basin of Brazil, including in the city of Manaus (BA only). There is a very low risk of malaria in the rest of Brazil (BA only). There is no risk of malaria in Iguaçu Falls.
Brunei Darussalam NaTHNaC page	There is a very low risk of malaria in Brunei Darussalam (BA only).
Burkina Faso NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Burkina Faso (A/P, D, M).
Burundi NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Burundi (A/P, D, M).
Cambodia NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in Cambodia. (BA only). There is a very low risk of malaria in the temple complexes of Angkor Wat and around Lake Tonle Sap, including Siem Reap (BA only).
	There is no risk in Phnom Penh. Mefloquine resistance is widespread in the western provinces of Cambodia bordering Thailand.
Cameroon NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Cameroon (A/P, D, M).
Cape Verde NaTHNaC page	There is no risk of malaria in Cape Verde (BA only).
Central African Republic NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in the Central African Republic (A/P, D, M).
Chad NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Chad (A/P, D, M).
China NaTHNaC page	In 2021 the WHO declared China malaria free. There is no risk of malaria in China (BA only).
China (Hong Kong) NaTHNaC page	There is no risk of malaria in Hong Kong.
Colombia NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in rural areas of Colombia below 1,600m (BA only). There is a very low risk in areas above 1,600m and in Cartagena (BA only).
Comoros NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in the Comoros (A/P, D, M).
Congo NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in the Congo (A/P, D, M).
Costa Rica NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in Limon Province (BA only) but not in the city of Limon (Puerto Limon). There is a very low risk in the rest of the country (BA only).
Côte d’Ivoire NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in the Cote d’Ivoire (A/P, D, M).
Democratic Republic of the Congo NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (A/P, D, M).
Djibouti NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Djibouti (A/P, D, M).
Dominican Republic NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in the Dominican Republic (BA only). Risk may be higher in areas bordering Haiti (BA only). There is no risk in the cities of Santiago and Santo Domingo.
East Timor (Timor-Leste) NaTHNaC page	In July 2025 the World Health Organization declared Timor-Leste malaria-free. There is no risk of malaria in Timor-Leste. (BA only).
Ecuador NaTHNaC page	On mainland Ecuador, there is a low risk of malaria in areas below 1,500m, including the coastal provinces and Amazon basin (BA only). There is no risk of malaria in the Galapagos islands or the city of Guayaquil.
Egypt NaTHNaC page	In 2024 the WHO declared Egypt malaria free. There is no risk of malaria in Egypt (BA only).
El Salvador NaTHNaC page	In 2021 the WHO declared El Salvador malaria free. There is no risk of malaria in El Salvador (BA only).
Equatorial Guinea NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Equatorial Guinea (A/P, D, M).
Eritrea NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Eritrea below 2,200m (A/P, D, M). There is no risk of malaria in Asmara or in areas above 2,200m.
Eswatini NaTHNaC page	There is a risk of malaria from November to May in the northern and eastern regions of Eswatini bordering Mozambique and South Africa, including all of Lubombo district and the eastern half of Hhohho, Manzini and Shiselweni districts. (A/P, D, M). There is no malaria risk in Mbabane district, and very low risk in the rest of Eswatini (BA). There is a very low risk of malaria in the rest   of the country (BA only).
Ethiopia NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Ethiopia below 2,000m (A/P, D, M). There is no risk of malaria in Addis Ababa or in areas above 2,000m.
French Guiana NaTHNaC page	There is a risk of malaria in French Guiana, particularly in areas bordering low-risk malaria zones in Brazil and along major rivers such as the Oyapock and Approuague. Antimalarials are recommended for visitors to these areas (A/P, D, M). There is a low risk of malaria in the city of Cayenne or Devil’s Island and environs (Ile du Diable) (BA only).
Gabon NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Gabon (A/P, D, M).
Gambia NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Gambia (A/P, D, M).
Georgia NaTHNaC page	Georgia has been certified malaria free by the World Health Organization (BA only).
Ghana NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Ghana (A/P, D, M).
Guatemala NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in Guatemala below 1,500m (BA only). There is no risk in Guatemala City, Antigua and Lake Atitlan and areas above 1,500m.
Guinea NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Guinea (A/P, D, M).
Guinea-Bissau NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Guinea-Bissau (A/P, D, M).
Guyana NaTHNaC page	There is a risk of malaria in all interior regions of Guyana (A/P, D, M). There is a very low risk of malaria in Georgetown and the coastal region (BA only).
Haiti NaTHNaC page	There is a risk of malaria in Haiti (C, A/P, D, M).
Honduras NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria below 1,000m and in Roatán and other Bay Islands (BA only). There is no risk of malaria in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa and areas above 1,000m.
India NaTHNaC page	There is a risk of malaria in the states of Mizoram, Odisha and Tripura (A/P, D, M).
	For the rest of India (including Goa and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands) there is a low risk of malaria (BA only).There is no risk of malaria in the Lakshadweep islands.
Indonesia NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Irian Jaya (Papua) (A/P, D, M). There is a low risk in Bali, Lombok and the islands of Java and Sumatra (BA only). There is no risk in the city of Jakarta.
Iran NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria from March to November in the rural south eastern provinces of Iran and in the north, along the Azerbaijan border in Ardabil and near the Turkmenistan border in North Khorasan (BA only). There is a very low risk in the rest of Iran (BA only).
Iraq NaTHNaC page	There is a very low risk of malaria in the rural northern area of Iraq below 1,500m, from May to November (BA only). There is no risk in the rest of Iraq.
Kenya NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Kenya (A/P, D, M). There is very low risk in the city of Nairobi and in the highlands above 2,500m (BA only).
Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in Laos (BA only). There is a very low risk in the city of Vientiane (BA only).
Liberia NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Liberia (A/P, D, M).
Madagascar  NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Madagascar (A/P, D, M).
Malawi NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Malawi (A/P, D, M).
Malaysia NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in mainland Malaysia (BA only).
Malaysia (Borneo) NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in inland areas of Sabah and in the inland, forested areas of Sarawak (BA only). There is a very low risk of malaria in the rest of Malaysian Borneo including the coastal areas of Sabah and Sarawak (BA only)
Mali NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Mali (A/P, D, M).
Mauritania  NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria throughout the year in the southern provinces of Mauritania (A/P, D, M). There is a high risk of malaria in the northern provinces from July to October inclusive (A/P, D, M). There is a low risk of malaria in the northern provinces during the rest of the year (BA only).
Mauritius NaTHNaC page	There is no risk of malaria in Mauritius (BA only).
Mayotte NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in Mayotte (BA only).
Mexico NaTHNaC page	There is a very low risk of malaria in Mexico (BA only).
Mozambique  NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Mozambique (A/P, D, M).
Myanmar NaTHNaC page	The risk in Myanmar is difficult to assess and chemoprophylaxis (A/P, D) should be considered for travellers to all parts of Myanmar at altitudes below 1,000 metres.
Namibia NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria all year in the Kavango East, Kavango West, and Zambezi [including Caprivi] regions (A/P, D, M). There is also a high risk of malaria from December to April inclusive in Kunene, Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Omaheke, and Otjozondjupa regions (A/P, D, M). There is a very low risk of malaria in the rest of Namibia (BA only).
	There is a very low risk of malaria in the rest of Namibia (BA only).
Nepal NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in areas of Nepal below 1,500m, including the Terai district (BA only). There is no risk of malaria in the city of Kathmandu and on typical Himalayan treks.
Nicaragua NaTHNaC page	There is a very low risk of malaria in Managua (BA only). There is a low risk of malaria in the rest of Nicaragua (BA only).
Niger NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Niger (A/P, D, M).
Nigeria NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Nigeria (A/P, D, M).
North Korea NaTHNaC page	There is a very low risk of malaria in some southern areas of North Korea (BA only).
Pakistan NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in areas of Pakistan below 2,000m (BA only). There is a very low risk above 2,000m (BA only).
Panama NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria east of the Canal Zone in Panama (BA only). There is a very low risk of malaria west of the Canal Zone (BA only). There is no risk of malaria in Panama City or the Canal Zone itself.
Papua New Guinea  NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Papua New Guinea below 1,800m (A/P, D, M). There is very low risk above 1,800m (BA only).
Peru NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in the Amazon basin of Peru along the border with Brazil,   particularly in Loreto province and in the other rural areas of Peru below 2,000m including that part of the Amazon Basin which borders Bolivia (BA only). There is no risk in the city of Lima and the coastal region south of Chiclayo.
Philippines NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in rural areas of the Philippines below 600m and on the   islands of Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro, and Palawan (BA only). There is no risk in cities or on the islands of Borocay, Bohol, Catanduanes, Cebu and Leyte.
Rwanda NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Rwanda (A/P, D, M).
Sao Tome and Principe NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in São Tomé and Príncipe (A/P, D, M).
Saudi Arabia NaTHNaC page	There is a very low risk of malaria in the south western provinces of Saudi Arabia, along the border with Yemen including Asir province below 2,000m (BA only). There is no risk of malaria in the cities of Jeddah, Makkah (Mecca), Medina, Riyadh, and Ta’if, or in Asir province above 2,000m.
Senegal NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Senegal (A/P, D, M).
Sierra Leone NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Sierra Leone (A/P, D, M).
Singapore NaTHNaC page	There is no risk of malaria in Singapore (BA only).
Solomon Islands NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in the Solomon Islands (A/P, D, M).
Somalia NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Somalia (A/P, D, M).
South Africa NaTHNaC page	All travellers should take bite avoidance measures throughout the year in all risk areas. Transmission of malaria occurs typically between the months of September and May only.
	There is a risk of malaria in the low altitude areas of Mpumalanga and Limpopo particularly those bordering Mozambique, Eswatini and Zimbabwe; this includes the Kruger National Park: atovaquone/proguanil OR doxycycline OR mefloquine recommended during the transmission season, September to May only (see map provided by Department of Health, Republic of South Africa – marked as ‘moderate risk’).
	In June, July and August the risk in this area is considered to be very low: awareness of risk and bite avoidance recommended.
	There is a low risk of malaria in northeast KwaZulu-Natal and in designated areas of Mpumalanga, Limpopo (see map – marked as ‘low risk’) during the transmission season, September to May: awareness of risk and bite avoidance recommended.
	There is a very low risk of malaria in North West Province (adjacent to Molopo river) and Northern Cape Province (adjacent to Orange river): awareness of risk and bite avoidance recommended.
Sri Lanka NaTHNaC page	There is no risk of malaria in Sri Lanka (BA) only).
South Korea NaTHNaC page	There is a very low risk of malaria in northern areas of South Korea, in Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do Provinces, and Incheon City, near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Increased risk has been reported in the following areas: Ganghwa-gun, Paju-si, Gimpo-si, Ilsanseo-gu, Ilsandong-gu, Deogyang-gu, Cheorwon-gun, and Yeoncheon-gun (BA only).
South Sudan NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in South Sudan (A/P, D, M).
Sudan NaTHNaC page	Antimalarial chemoprophylaxis is advised for all travellers to Sudan, including Khartoum; atovaquone-proguanil or doxycycline or mefloquine is recommended. This change will be kept under review. Anyone returning from Sudan should be vigilant for the signs of malaria and seek immediate medical attention if they have a fever or flu-like illness
Suriname NaTHNaC page	There is no risk of malaria in Suriname (BA only).
Syria NaTHNaC page	There is thought to be a very low risk of malaria in small, remote foci of El Hasaka   (BA only) but up-to-date data is not available, so the possibility of additional cases occurring cannot be excluded.
Tajikistan NaTHNaC page	In 2023 the WHO declared Tajikistan malaria-free. There is no risk of malaria in Tajikistan (BA only).
Tanzania NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in all areas below 1,800m (A/P, D, M). There is no risk of malaria above 1,800m. There is a risk of malaria in Zanzibar (A/P, D, M).
	See the interactive malaria map of Tanzania.
Thailand NaTHNaC page	There is mefloquine resistance in Thailand. There is a low risk of malaria in the rural, forested borders of Thailand with Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar (BA only). There is a very low risk of malaria in the remaining areas of Thailand including Kanchanaburi (Kwai Bridge) (BA only). There is no risk of malaria in the cities of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, and Pattaya.
Togo NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Togo (A/P, D, M).
Türkiye NaTHNaC page	There is a very low risk of malaria in Türkiye (BA only).
Uganda NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Uganda (A/P, D, M).
Uzbekistan NaTHNaC page	The WHO certified Uzbekistan to be malaria free in 2018. There is no risk of malaria in Uzbekistan (BA only).
Vanuatu NaTHNaC page	There is a risk of malaria in the whole of Vanuatu (A/P, D, M).
Venezuela NaTHNaC page	There is a risk of malaria in all areas of Venezuela, particularly in the Amazonas, Bolívar, Delta Amacuro and Sucre states: (A/P, D, M). There is no risk in the city of Caracas or on Margarita Island: (BA only).
Vietnam NaTHNaC page	There is a low risk of malaria in the southern part of the country in the provinces of Tay Ninh, Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, and Kon Tum, and other rural areas of Vietnam (BA only). There is no risk in large cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), the Red River delta, coastal areas north of Nha Trang and Phu Quoc Island (BA only).
Western Sahara NaTHNaC page	There is no risk of malaria in Western Sahara (BA only).
Yemen NaTHNaC page	There is a risk of malaria in Yemen below 2,000m (A/P, D, M).There is very low risk of malaria on Socrota Island (BA only). There is no risk of malaria above 2,000m including Sana’a city (BA only).
Zambia NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Zambia (A/P, D, M).
Zimbabwe NaTHNaC page	There is a high risk of malaria in Zimbabwe below 1,200m from November to June (A/P, D, M). There is a low risk of malaria in this part of the country during the rest of the year (BA only). In the Zambezi valley the risk is throughout the year (A/P, D, M). There is very low risk in Harare and Bulawayo (BA only).