U.S. Embassy Warns Travelers to Kenya's Coast, Wajir and Garissa
The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi has issued a health alert regarding a dengue fever outbreak in Kenya's coastal regions, Wajir, and Garissa. Travelers are advised to prioritize mosquito bite prevention as there is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment available.
Why it matters
This alert provides essential safety information for international travelers visiting high-risk areas in Kenya, balancing health risks with existing security warnings.
The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi issued a health alert on August 3, 2026, warning travelers of elevated dengue fever activity in coastal Kenya, Wajir County, and Garissa County - an advisory that beach resort and safari visitors should treat as the most immediate concern, since Wajir and Garissa are already under a State Department "Do Not Travel" advisory for terrorism and kidnapping. The alert is timely: according to the World Health Organization's Emergency Preparedness bulletin for the week of July 5 - 12, a dengue upsurge that began in Garissa County in January 2026 reached 1,679 cumulative cases and spread to Wajir County by early July - and the CDC listed Kenya on its Global Dengue notice on July 30, just days before the Embassy acted.Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness with no approved vaccine for U.S.
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