Mombasa county Health officials have reported an outbreak of dengue fever, a potentially fatal infection that has seen 700 samples collected from patients testing positive for the mosquito-borne tropical disease.

On Friday, Mombasa health chief officer Pauline Oginga warned that the situation could worsen due to heavy rains that have continued to pound coast region.

She said there were increased cases of fever in adults and children visiting hospitals in the six sub-counties in Mombasa.

We are going to start fogging but when can't go everywhere, we will start with the informal settlement where the cases are rampant but we emphasize that resdents take up prevention measures," said Oginga.

The county health official said the rains have created breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Dengue is spread by Aedes mosquito. Symptoms include Fever headache and joint pains.

"Dengue fever have doubled since last month,and we are urging the community to disinfect stagnant water and also ensure they go to public hospitals whenever that show signs of the fever,"said Oginga.

Similarly the county has also reported a surge on diarrhea cases with 8,648 cases being reported since last month.

"We are kindly requesting residents to use safe water for drinking and avoid drinking contaminated water, we still emphasize residents to observe all measures," she added.

The county has also raised alarm over the rising cases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mombasa.

"The positivity rate has gone up, we have moved from 0.8 to 4 percent as by 15 the, this means that people have relaxed observing containment measures, people have started shaking hands and this is causing the spread, so we are appealing to residents to mask up to avoid being infected," said Oginga.

"At least 460,000 people have been vaccinated in Mombasa.The uptake of second dose is at 54 percent and that is quite low,and booster we are at around 10,000 who have taken up the covid 19 booster shot," she added saying they are planning to increase the number further.

Speaking at the county health headquarters at Mwembe Tayari, Oginga emphasized on the need to continue observing the covid 19 containment measures.

"We are urging residents to kindly mask up, avoid shaking of hands and ensuring that they get vaccinated,” she added.

She said the county is keen to suppress the disease and is now asking residents who had taken full dose and about six months to go for a booster shot.