Each year, WHO’s World Malaria Report provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of trends in malaria control and elimination across the globe. The 2021 edition of the report took a closer look at the impact of disruptions to malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest data show that the worst-case scenario projected by WHO - a doubling of malaria deaths in sub-Saharan Africa - did not come to pass. However, moderate disruptions to malaria services led to a marked increase in cases and deaths in 2020 over the previous year. In these video sound bites, Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme, reflects on the data and trends coming out of this year’s report.