The pandemic coincides with the long rainy season in Kenya. Rain increases mosquito breeding sites, vector density and thus transmission of mosquito-borne diseases.
While identifying a new disease by its place of origin seems intuitive, history shows that doing so can have serious consequences for the people that live there.
Prolonged rains increase the amount of stagnant water in the environment in which mosquitoes breed. This increases the risk of mosquito-borne diseases.
Rift Valley Fever infects millions of humans and livestock in Africa and Arabia. To fight it, scientists are developing a first of its kind vaccine that can be used on humans and animals.
By tackling local threats and controlling existing diseases, countries are able to build the capacity needed to deal with future emerging disease threats.