The Ministry of Health has moved to contain a dengue fever outbreak in Garissa and Wajir after the two counties reported 1,678 cases and five suspected deaths.
Garissa is at the centre of the outbreak, with 1,583 cumulative reported cases as of August 26, according to the latest Ministry update. Wajir has recorded 95 laboratory-confirmed cases.
All five suspected deaths were reported in Garissa, with four occurring in Garissa Township and one in Hagadera.
Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said the government was closely monitoring the situation and had strengthened measures to stop further transmission.
“As at August26, 2026, Garissa county had recorded 1,583 cumulative reported dengue cases, while Wajir county had recorded 95 laboratory-confirmed cases, bringing the total to 1,678 cases,” she said.
The highest number of cases in Garissa has been reported in Dadaab, which accounts for 1,276 cases. Garissa Township has recorded 251, while Fafi has reported 56 cases.
In Wajir, Wajir East accounts for 85 cases, or 89.5 per cent, of the county’s confirmed cases. The other 10 cases are spread across Eldas, Wajir West, Wajir North, Wajir South, Tarbaj and Khorof Harar.
Children and adolescents aged between six months and 15 years account for 46 cases, or 48.4 per cent, of Wajir’s confirmed infections.
Muthoni said the ministry was working with county governments and other partners to contain the disease.
“Samples from suspected dengue cases are being referred to the national reference laboratory for confirmation, while severe cases and suspected deaths are being investigated and classified as a priority,” she said.
Dengue is a viral infection spread mainly through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. The mosquitoes commonly live around homes and can breed in small amounts of stagnant water in containers, tyres, bottles and other objects.
Unlike malaria mosquitoes, Aedes mosquitoes are active mainly during the day, although they can also bite at night. A mosquito becomes infected after biting a person carrying the dengue virus and can then transmit the virus when it bites another person, Kenya Medical Research Institute says.
Most people infected with dengue either have no symptoms or develop a mild illness.
Common signs include high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting and skin rash. Most people recover within one to two weeks, but dengue can sometimes become dangerous.
About one in 20 people who become sick with dengue develops severe dengue, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Severe disease can cause internal bleeding, shock and failure of vital organs.
Deaths can be greatly reduced when patients receive timely medical care, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. Proper hospital management has reduced the dengue case-fatality rate to less than one per cent in most affected countries.
Muthoni urged residents to help break the mosquito’s breeding cycle by removing stagnant water around homes and other buildings.
“Households, institutions and communities should empty, scrub and tightly cover water-storage containers at least once each week, dispose of bottles, tins and tyres that can collect water, and clear blocked drains,” she said.
Residents have also been advised to use mosquito repellent, wear long clothing and use window and door screens, especially during the day.
People with fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, body or joint pains, nausea, vomiting or rash should seek medical care.
Urgent treatment is needed for severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding, breathing difficulty, extreme weakness, restlessness or rapid deterioration, which can signal severe dengue, Muthoni said.
The ministry advised patients to use paracetamol for fever as directed by a health professional and avoid aspirin or ibuprofen because these medicines can increase the risk of bleeding.
Muthoni said the government would continue monitoring the counties despite no new cases being reported in the latest county updates.
“Although no new cases have been reported since the latest county updates, sustained surveillance remains essential before interruption of transmission can be verified,” she said. “The ministry will continue working with county governments, health facilities, community health teams and partners to maintain clinical readiness, laboratory confirmation, vector control and timely public information.”
