Costa Rica recorded 74 cases of malaria in 2026. Of these, 20 were locally transmitted (9 autochthonous, 11 introduced), 37 were imported (mainly from Nicaragua), and 17 were under investigation.
The main malaria hotspot was Crucitas-Llano Verde, with 54 cases (73% of the national total). A reduction in local malaria transmission was observed compared to 2023 and 2024, but a 100% increase compared to 2025. 119,758 diagnostic tests for malaria were performed.
The transmission of dengue and malaria is the primary focus of healthcare efforts, with Aedes aegypti and Anopheles mosquitoes present in Alajuela, Puntarenas, and Crucitas-Llano Verde.
