In 2004, {38 972} malaria cases and {106 704} suspected cases with 31 deaths were reported by the annual case reporting system in {1 005} counties of 23 Provinces/Municipality/Autonomous Region (P/M/A) and the annual incidence was 0^38/{10 000}, a decrease of 4^2% than that of the last year, which is the year that the disease was slightly rolled back after consecutively increased since 2001. As an important development of the case reporting system,the internet reporting system started in 2004,majority of the malaria cases ({38 254}) were reported through internet from {1 074} counties of all the 30 P/M/A except Qinghai Province. ;Among the {1 005} counties with reported malaria cases, 32 counties were with an incidence of more than 10/{10 000} distributing in Yunnan (19 counties), Hainan (10) and Anhui (3). There were 61 counties in which the malaria incidence was between 1/{10 000} and 10/{10 000}.The number of Plasmodium falciparum malaria cases was 4 891, accounting for 12^6% of the total cases, of which 35^0% (1 714) were imported cases reported in 174 counties/cities of 18 P/M/A. Indigenous falciparum malaria was found in 45 counties/cities of Yunnan and Hainan Provinces, of which 29 counties/cities were in Yunnan, decreased by 35, 16 were in Hainan, increased by 2 compared to that of 2003.;Yunnan and Hainan Provinces are still the relatively high transmission areas. Yunnan has ranked No^1 in the country in terms of the number of cases while Hainan ranked No^1 by malaria incidence in recent years. {22 247} malaria cases were reported from the two provinces in 2004, accounting for 57^1% of the total reported cases in the country. There were {12 865} cases with 25 deaths reported from Yunnan, and the incidence was 3^09/{10 000}, a decrease of 16^6% than that in the last year. Among the reported cases, {3 251} were falciparum malaria, decreased by 7^9% in comparison to 2003. The number of reported cases in Hainan was 9 832, with an incidence of 11^64/{10 000}, 46^6% increase than the last year.;In central China
