en Epidemiology Original Article <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a name="OLE_LINK25"><strong>Background:</strong></a> According to recent reports during the COVID-19 pandemic, malaria-endemic regions have a significantly lower COVID-19 case and mortality rate than those malaria-non-endemic. &nbsp;This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of COVID-19 in malarious areas of southern Iran and the incidence of disease in people previously infected with malaria.<span dir="RTL"></span><br> <strong>Materials and Methods:</strong> We conducted an ecological study during the Covid-19 epidemic period in a malaria-endemic area, Hormozgan province, by including all critically ill patients with Covid-19 admitted to hospitals in different counties. The malaria cases were matched in the Covid patient&#39;s list. Also, the cumulative incidence and mortality rate of the Covid-19 were calculated in all counties.<br> <strong>Results:</strong> The results show that malaria-endemic regions have a lower cumulative incidence and mortality rate than the others. Moreover, it was found that people with a history of malaria were not infected with Covid 19.<br> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> It seems that malaria endemicity may positively affect the lower incidence and mortality rate of COVID-19 in malaria-endemic regions<span dir="RTL">.</span> However, further&nbsp;studies&nbsp;must&nbsp;be&nbsp;carried out to confirm the hypothesis that malaria reduces the risk of Covid-19 in other parts of the world.</span></span></p> COVID-19,Iran,Malaria. 169 174 http://johe.rums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-437-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Golsoom Rashid golirashid3@gmail.com 22400319475328460011847 22400319475328460011847 No Msc in Parasitology, Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences Faeghe Zareei faeghezaree@yahoo.com 22400319475328460011848 22400319475328460011848 No Msc in Microbiology, Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences Shokrollah Mohseni mohseni57faryab@gmail.com 22400319475328460011849 22400319475328460011849 No PhD Student in Epidemiology, Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences Abdolhossein Madani shmd_md@yahoo.com 22400319475328460011850 22400319475328460011850 No Associate Prof., Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences Moussa Soleimani-Ahmadi mussa.sahmadi@gmail.com 22400319475328460011851 22400319475328460011851 No Professor, Dept. of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences Zahra Alebrahim alebrahimzahra@gmail.com 22400319475328460011852 22400319475328460011852 No Assistant Prof., Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences Alireza Sanei-Dehkordi Alireza.sanee@gmail.com 22400319475328460011853 22400319475328460011853 Yes Associate Prof., Dept. of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences