The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised alarm over the deadly mosquito-borne chikungunya virus, calling for action against the virus that is present in Kenya, particularly in areas along the Coast.
The global body issued the alarm as it aims to prevent a repeat of an epidemic of the chikungunya virus that swept the globe two decades ago, as new outbreaks linked to the Indian Ocean region spread to Europe and other continents. "An estimated 5.6 billion people live in areas across 119 countries at risk from the virus, which can cause high fever, joint pain, and long-term disability," Diana Rojas Alvarez, a medical officer at the WHO, told reporters in Geneva. "We are seeing history repeating itself," she said, drawing parallels to the 2004-2005 epidemic, which affected nearly half a million people, primarily in small island territories, before spreading around the world.
An undated photo of the Aedes aegypti mosquito Twitter The current surge began in early 2025, with major outbreaks in the same Indian Ocean islands that were previously hit, including La Reunion, Mayotte, and Mauritius.
In Kenya, the disease broke out in June, with 25 people in Mombasa having tested positive for the disease out of the 45 samples that were analysed by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).
