20 people died, others hospitalised as dengue fever hits Mali amid political imbalance

Officials in Mali have disclosed that dengue fever is on the rise in the West African nation, as more than 21 people have so far been confirmed dead.

No fewer than 600 cases of the disease were also reported on Monday, posing a fresh challenge to Mali’s fight against extremist attacks and political disorder.

Dengue is a viral infection spread by mosquitoes that mostly causes flu-like sickness. In severe cases, it can cause joint pain, swollen glands, bleeding, and death.

Although there is no permanent cure for the disease, the World Health Organization has so far recommended two major vaccines for countries that suffer regular outbreaks.

A new disease outbreak risks worsening the humanitarian situation in Mali, especially among the large population of displaced people who are still struggling to heal from the threat of deadly insurgencies linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.

The disease has also been reported in Burkina Faso and Senegal.

In August, the government of Chad said the country recorded its first-ever outbreak of dengue, with dozens of confirmed cases in the Sahel region.

The disease is now endemic in more than 100 countries in the WHO Regions of Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia and the Western Pacific.

The Americas, South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions are the most seriously affected, with Asia representing around 70% of the global disease burden.