Ugandan Ministry of Health on Monday said malaria remains the number one killer disease in the east African country, according to Radio Uganda.

The ministry said in its monthly epidemiological report that malaria killed 18 people in Kasese district in December, while in Masaka district 14 died, followed by Nebbi district with 11 dead and Arua district with 10 deaths.

Bushenyi district has recorded the largest number of sick people, with 109,038 suffering from malaria since Dec. 1, according to the report.

Malaria killed an estimated 80,000 people in Uganda last year. The nation loses approximately 340 million US dollars annually dueto the disease.

Source: Xinhua