Manchester City's Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Bony has revealed he contracted malaria earlier this year.

Bony was unable to travel on City's pre-season tour of Australia and Vietnam because of the disease.

City did not reveal the full reason for Bony's absence at the time other than to say the former Swansea forward was ill.

But after City manager Manuel Pellegrini mentioned it in a press conference this week as he spoke about Bony's various injury and illness problems, the 26-year-old has admitted he did have the condition.

"I got malaria from Africa when I was coming back but I am okay now," Bony said after scoring twice in City's 5-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday.

Bony's double helped City remain two points clear at the top of the Premier League.