The Aedes albopictus mosquito, commonly known as the tiger mosquito, has triggered a dengue and chikungunya outbreak of historic proportions. Government data reveals 50,478 suspected dengue cases between January and mid-October 2025, including 25,502 probable cases and 214 deaths.

During the week of October 9-15 alone, authorities recorded 10,117 new suspected cases, 4,377 probable cases, and 48 fatalities. While the outbreak persists in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, health officials warn that chikungunya has also emerged, with over 200 cases detected since September.

Implementing robust containment measures

Rising temperatures and intensified rainfall have created ideal conditions for mosquito proliferation. “To combat this health emergency, we’ve implemented several measures, including free rapid diagnostic tests in public health facilities”, stated Burkina Faso’s Health Minister, Robert Lucien Jean-Claude Kargougou. A large-scale anti-mosquito spraying campaign has been deployed in the worst-affected areas.

While Burkina Faso has grappled with sporadic dengue cases since the 1960s, its first documented epidemic occurred in 2017, resulting in 13 deaths. The World Health Organization estimates that 100 to 400 million dengue infections occur annually worldwide, primarily in tropical and subtropical regions. Symptoms range from mild flu-like manifestations to severe complications including hemorrhaging that can prove fatal.