BACKGROUND:
Vietnam has set a target for malaria elimination nationwide by 2030. The malaria active foci will respond rapidly to interrupt the ongoing transmission in the malaria elimination phase. Therefore, needing to identify where are active foci and their epidemiology characteristics.

OBJECTIVES:
To describe the epidemiology characteristics of active malaria foci in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam

METHODS:
A retrospective study was conducted from January 1, 2020, to October 30, 2023, at the Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology, Quy Nhon. The malaria active foci have confirmed indigenous malaria cases using routine national surveillance data (eCDS-MMS). Each focus was identified, evaluated, and mapped.

RESULTS:
A total of 467 active foci were recorded between 2020 and 2023, the number of active foci declined by 83.53% from 249 in 2020 to 41 in 2023. By 2023, active malaria foci were only present in 7 out of 15 provinces in this region. There are 3 of 5 species of Plasmodium were detected in this period including Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, and Plasmodium malariae. Plasmodium malariae has increased from 0.11% in 2020 to 44.38% in 2023. During the period from 2020 to 2023, 15 were persistent active foci, accounting for 4.36%, and 85 became active foci, representing 24.71%.

CONCLUSIONS:
The ongoing transmission focuses on some residual high-endemic areas in some provinces in the Central-Highland regions, The local staff continuously needs monitoring and response to these foci to aim for malaria elimination in the Central-Highlands region of Vietnam.