Malaria was not found in the Americas prior to the discovery of the New World by Europeans.
[1] Due to their genetics, African slaves had greater immunity to falciparum malaria, and this was one reason why slaves were brought in great numbers from Africa.
Creoles felt that diseases such as malaria were tools preventing their territories being invaded by Europeans.
Anopheles mosquitoes thrive mostly in areas of humidity and fresh water, so the disease was not found on islands such as the Bahamas and Antigua.
[citation needed] As of 2019, several cases of malaria occur each year in Trinidad and Tobago.