The Aedes albopictus mosquito, commonly known as the “tiger mosquito,” is driving a devastating dengue fever and chikungunya epidemic in Burkina Faso. From January 1 to October 15, 2023, health authorities recorded 50,478 suspected dengue cases, including 25,502 probable cases and 214 deaths, as reported in an official statement.

The government further noted that between October 9 and 15 alone, 10,117 new suspected cases were reported, with 4,377 confirmed and 48 fatalities. The outbreak remains active in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. Health Minister Robert Lucien Jean-Claude Kargougou also confirmed over 200 chikungunya cases since September, another mosquito-borne viral disease.

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Taking decisive action to curb the outbreak

Rising temperatures and intense rainfall have created ideal breeding conditions for tiger mosquitoes and dengue transmission. “To effectively address this health crisis, we’ve made rapid diagnostic tests free in public health facilities,” the Health Minister explained. A targeted mosquito control spray campaign has also been launched in the hardest-hit urban areas.

While Burkina Faso has documented dengue cases since the 1960s, the country’s first confirmed outbreak occurred in 2017, resulting in 13 deaths. The virus, spread by infected mosquito bites, shares symptoms with malaria and thrives in urban and semi-urban tropical climates. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it infects 100 to 400 million people annually. Severe cases can lead to high fever, headaches, nausea, muscle pain, and potentially fatal hemorrhages.