Travel Advisory Issued for Senegal's Rift Valley Fever Outbreak

The Republic of Senegal, which is the westernmost country in West Africa, is once again confronting a Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreak. RVF is a mosquito-borne viral disease that primarily affects livestock but can infect humans.

As of mid-October 2025, Senegal's Ministry of Health confirmed the RVF outbreak, which is affecting Saint-Louis, Matam, and Louga regions, and now includes 20 related fatalities.

In an effort to learn this outbreak's source, the Institut Pasteur de Dakar sequenced nine RT-qPCR–positive samples. Five complete L/M/S genomes were recovered.

According to their research, phylogenetic analyses show all 2025 Senegal sequences belong to lineage H, clustering with earlier Senegalese isolates from Fatick (2020) and Matam (2022) (>99 % nt identity). This analysis confirms continued local persistence rather than new introduction.

The U.S. CDC issued a Level 1 Travel Health Notice on October 10, 2025, stating people can protect themselves from RVF by preventing mosquito bites, avoiding contact with cattle and livestock, and handling, eating, and drinking animal products safely.

Additionally, the CDC advises visitors to Senegal to monitor their health during and after travel for symptoms of RVF.

As of October 14, 2025, RVF vaccines are unavailable.