The five diagnoses — one in Texas and four in Florida — quickly made headlines, with CDC officials reporting that these are the first cases of malaria to originate inside the U.S. since 2003. The CDC notes that while the US was once a malaria-endemic country, the disease was eliminated here in 1951.

The persons in Florida resides in Sarasota County while the person in Texas, an outdoor worker, resides in Cameron County. Even though approximately 2,000 cases of severe malaria are diagnosed each year in the US, most are acquired from travel to malaria-endemic countries. Diagnosing five cases of malaria from within the US is considered a "medical emergency" by the CDC, recommending that "anyone with symptoms should be urgently evaluated."

All people have been treated and have recovered.