• J Raman, K I Barnes, L Baker, M Blaylock, L Blumberg, J Frean, E Misiani, and I S Ukpe.
• Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; Wits Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, South Africa. jaishreer@nicd.ac.za.
• S. Afr. Med. J. 2020 Nov 23; 111 (1): 13-16.

AbstractAs September marks the start of the malaria season in South Africa (SA), it is essential that healthcare professionals consider both COVID- 19 and malaria when a patient who lives in or has recently travelled to a malaria area presents with acute febrile illness. Early diagnosis of malaria by either a rapid diagnostic test or microscopy enables prompt treatment with the effective antimalarial, artemether-lumefantrine, preventing progression to severe disease and death. Intravenous artesunate is the preferred treatment for severe malaria in both children and adults. Adding single low-dose primaquine to standard treatment is recommended in endemic areas to block onward transmission. Use of the highly effective artemisinin-based therapies should be limited to the treatment of confirmed malaria infections, as there is no clinical evidence that these antimalarials can prevent or treat COVID-19. Routine malaria case management services must be sustained, in spite of COVID-19, to treat malaria effectively and support SA's malaria elimination efforts.

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