Malaria map published

A map showing the level of malaria risk throughout the world has been published and is said to be the most detailed ever produced.

The Malaria Atlas Project (MAP) has been created by researchers from the Kenya Medical Research Institute, Wellcome Trust programme and the University of Oxford.

It is hoped that the tool will help to target the right areas for programmes to control malaria to be set up.

In total, 2.4 billion people are at risk of the most deadly form of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, but three-quarters of the world's population live in low risk areas.

Dr Simon Hay, project manager from the University of Oxford, said: "This map of malaria risk gives us hope that eliminating malaria in many countries is technically feasible.

"But it also presents us with a blunt truth - that the burden facing the people of Africa is very high and that tackling malaria there will remain a great and long-term challenge."

An annual update of the MAP is expected to take place.