Ireland recorded 89 cases of malaria in 2023, up 68pc from 2022, with Nigeria being the most reported country of infection between 2019 and 2023.
One-third of malaria cases were attributed to individuals traveling to visit family, indicating a rise in tropical disease diagnoses as international travel returns to pre-pandemic levels.
In 2023, there were 20 reported cases of dengue fever in Ireland, an increase of 122% from 2022, with travelers returning from the Americas, particularly Brazil and Mexico, being the primary source of infections.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre noted a total of 130 locally acquired dengue cases in the EU region, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, in 2023, compared to 71 cases in 2022, underscoring the growing risk of travel-related tropical diseases.
