The Oxford team behind a successful COVID-19 vaccine candidate are close to entering the final stage of human trials in their jab against malaria.

(Inhabitat)

Speaking to The Times, The Jenner Institute director Adrian Hill said the much-anticipated injection will be tested on around 4,800 children in African countries next year, after earlier trials showed promising results.

Professor Hill speculated that the vaccine could be ready by 2024, assuming final human trials are carried out successfully.

Malaria, a mosquito-borne infectious disease, is responsible for the deaths of more than 400,000 according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Nearly half of the world's population is at risk of contracting it.

In areas with high malaria transmission, young children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to catching the infection and - in worst case scenarios - dying from it.

The charity UNICEF describes the disease as "the largest killer of children" - with one child dying from it every 30 seconds - about 3,000 every day.

(Lupni.com/Sky News)