Vector alert: Anopheles stephensi invasion and spread

Overview

Anopheles stephensi, a highly competent vector of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax, is considered an efficient vector of urban malaria. Until 2011, the reported distribution of An. stephensi was confined to certain countries in South-East Asia and large parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Since then, the vector has been reported from Djibouti (2012), Ethiopia (2016), Sri Lanka (2017) and most recently from the Republic of the Sudan (2019). 

WHO considers the spread of An. stephensi to be a major potential threat to malaria control and elimination in Africa and southern Asia. This vector alert has been developed to urge WHO Member States and their implementing partners – especially those in and around the Horn of Africa, the Republic of the Sudan and surrounding geographical areas, and in Sri Lanka – to take immediate action.