Angolan health authorities have said malaria cases in the country are on the decline, Lusa agency reported.

Public Health Minister Franco Mufinda said the government had distributed test kits and drugs across the country to combat the epidemic.

He said there were fewer cases and fatalities being recorded in recent times.

Mr Mufinda said the cases were at four million and over 5,000 deaths but had since gone down.

He gave an example of a hospital in Huambo city where there were 300 patients at the beginning of the epidemic but latest visit indicated only 56 were admitted.

Angola has a high transmission of malaria, which is spread by mosquitoes, according to the World Health Organization.