Dengue in Africa 2023
Burkina Faso accounts for 88% of cases and deaths
Through December 24, the Africa CDC reported a total of 263,721 suspected, probable and confirmed cases in 15 African Union member state countries—Angola, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sudan and Togo.
Burkina Faso, landlocked country in West Africa, accounted for the majority (88%) of the continent’s cases and deaths—231,661 and 688, respectively.
Since early August, Burkina Faso has been facing an unprecedented dengue outbreak, mostly concentrated in the country’s two major cities: Bobo Dioulasso and Ouagadougou.
Dengue (break-bone fever) is a viral infection caused by the dengue virus (DENV), transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and, to a lesser extent, Ae. albopictus. This mosquito also transmits chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika infection. It’s found in tropical and sub-tropical climates, mostly in urban areas.
While many DENV infections are asymptomatic or produce only mild flu-like illness, DENV can occasionally cause more severe cases, and even death.
Prevention and control of dengue depend on effective vector control. There is no specific treatment for dengue/severe dengue, and early detection and access to proper medical care greatly lower fatality rates of severe dengue.
Globally, over 5 million cases and 5,000 deaths have been reported worldwide from over 80 countries.