Doctors attribute the large number of malaria-related deaths in the area to a lack of resistance. Malaria is not endemic in the highland regions, and people have neither built up resistance to the disease nor become accustomed to avoiding bites from the mosquito that carries it.

"Communities living in these regions are not commonly exposed to malaria infection and at times of increased malaria transmission, all age groups are affected, hence the explosive number of cases," Mohamed said

Kenya's malaria-prone regions are mainly in low-lying areas near the country's Indian Ocean coastline, and in the far-western part of the country near the shores of Lake Victoria.

Mohamed said the epidemic occurred after the fall of heavy rains, which had favoured the disease's transmission. Mosquitoes hatch their young under water, and drying up affected areas has been proposed as a solution to many malarial problems over the world.

He said the government had increased its anti-malarial drugs purchase by 40 million shillings ($507,300).

He added that it was also giving health education to affected communities, emphasising the need to seek early treatment and the use of insecticide treated mosquito nets to avoid being bitten in the first place.