Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of malaria cases reported in Shanghai from 2010 to 2017, so as to provide evidence-based reference for adjusting strategies and measures in the process of malaria elimination in Shanghai. Methods The epidemiological data of malaria cases reported in Shanghai from 2010 to 2017 were collected. Classification, diagnosis time, infection source and epidemiological characteristics of the cases, were statistically analyzed by using Microsoft Excel 2010. Results A total of 359 malaria cases were reported in Shanghai from 2010 to 2017 with 3 deaths. Among them 10 patients were clinically diagnosed (2.8%, 10/359) and the rest were laboratory diagnosed (97.2%, 349/359). 241 were infected with P. falciparum (67.1%, 241/359), 60 with P. vivax (16.7%, 60/359), 26 with P. ovale (7.2%, 26/359), 13 with P. malariae (3.6%, 13/359) and 9 infected with unknown species (2.5%, 9/359). All cases were imported and there was no indigenous case reported in Shanghai since 2010. The median diagnosis time was 4.4 days after the clinical symptoms occurred, 47.8% (137/359) cases were diagnosed within 3 days. There was no significantly seasonal difference in the case report. Young and middle-aged men were preferably infected. The case distribution included 105 Shanghai native residents (29.2%, 105/359), 207 from other provinces (57.7%, 207/359) and 47 foreigners (13.1%, 47/359). The current living address of cases distributed in 92 counties in 19 provinces of China, and 261 cases (72.70%, 261/359) were Shanghai residents distributed in 16 districts of Shanghai. 338 cases (94.2%, 338/359) were imported from overseas, and 19 cases (5.3%, 19/359) were imported from other provinces of China. Since 2012 all reported cases were imported from overseas except for one case of P. malariae transmitted by blood transfusion and one case of P. malariae without definite source of infection. Conclusion No indigenous malaria case has been reported in Shanghai since 2010. However, there are still imported malaria cases mainly from overseas so that we need to pay attention to malaria surveillance in Shanghai.