Garissa Dengue Outbreak Passes 1,500 Cases as Five Deaths Reported

A dengue fever outbreak that began quietly in January 2026 has grown into one of the most serious mosquito-borne disease emergencies in Garissa County in recent years, with cumulative cases surpassing 1,500 and five suspected deaths recorded by late June.

The Scale of the Outbreak

By late June 2026, health authorities had logged 1,583 cumulative cases. Of 1,517 rapid diagnostic test samples processed, 526 — representing 35 percent — returned positive results. Among 81 specimens subjected to RT-PCR, 52 confirmed positive, a positivity rate of 64.2 percent. The heaviest case burden was concentrated in Garissa Township and the Hagadera refugee camp area.

The Fumigation and Response Campaign

Garissa County authorities responded with a mass fumigation exercise launched on May 29, 2026, targeting residential neighbourhoods, markets, drainage channels, and identified mosquito breeding sites. The campaign incorporates indoor residual spraying, larviciding of stagnant water bodies, and structured community education.

Climate, Geography, and Structural Vulnerability

Northeastern Kenya has experienced recurrent dengue transmission in recent years, driven by rising temperatures linked to climate change, episodic heavy rainfall events, and the region's geographic proximity to high-dengue-burden areas along the Somali coastline.