Kenya: Officials confirm dengue outbreak in Mombasa county May 7

Event

The Mombasa County Director of Health reported an outbreak of dengue fever in the county on Sunday, May 7, with 119 confirmed cases as of that date. The most affected subcounties include Kisauni, Mvita, Changamwe, and Likoni. No deaths related to the disease have been confirmed.

Context

Health officials warned that there may be an increase in dengue and other mosquito- or water-borne diseases during the upcoming rainy season. Dengue was first reported in Mombasa in 2013.

Dengue fever outbreaks occur regularly, with most cases of the mosquito-borne disease found in urban and semi-urban areas. Symptoms of classic dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rash. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, the enlargement of the liver and hemorrhaging.

Advice

Individuals present in Mombasa county are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping in a screened-in or air conditioned room) and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds (small pockets of fresh water, such as rain water that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).