The dengue fever and chikungunya epidemic is intensifying in Burkina Faso due to the rapid proliferation of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes—commonly known as tiger mosquitoes. According to official reports, authorities have recorded 50,478 suspected dengue cases from January to mid-October, including 25,502 probable cases and 214 fatalities.

The situation remains dire, with 10,117 new suspected cases reported in just one week (October 9-15), including 4,377 probable cases and 48 deaths. Health Minister Robert Lucien Jean-Claude Kargougou confirmed that while the outbreak persists in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, a concurrent chikungunya outbreak has also emerged, with over 200 cases recorded since September.

Government actions to combat the outbreak

The Burkina Faso government has implemented several measures to curb the spread of the virus, including:

• Free rapid diagnostic tests at all public health facilities
• Large-scale mosquito control spraying campaigns in the most affected cities
• Public awareness programs about prevention and early symptoms

The surge in cases coincides with rising temperatures and increased rainfall, creating ideal breeding conditions for tiger mosquitoes. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 100 to 400 million dengue infections occur worldwide annually, primarily in tropical and subtropical regions.

Dengue symptoms range from mild flu-like conditions—fever, headaches, nausea—to severe complications such as hemorrhagic fever, which can be fatal without proper medical intervention. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected mosquito, similar to malaria, making prevention strategies crucial in urban and semi-urban areas.

This is not Burkina Faso’s first encounter with dengue. Sporadic cases have been documented since the 1960s, but the nation’s first confirmed epidemic occurred in 2017, resulting in 13 deaths.