Around 500,000 people died of malaria in 2018. COVID-19 deaths are currently at 250,000 (according to worldometers.info), but deaths are only just starting to slow down, and it's unclear how many deaths are going unreported. (There has been suggestion that in some places, actual deaths may be twice as high; apparently even after one adds reported COVID-19 deaths to an area's expected "regular" deaths, there is a shortfall vs actual deaths.)
It's worth noting that in terms of person-years lost, an average malaria death is significantly worse as it predominantly kills children under the age of 5.
It's worth noting that in terms of person-years lost, an average malaria death is significantly worse as it predominantly kills children under the age of 5.