Researchers at the Kenya Medical Research Institute have warned of the discovery of a new, more dangerous species of mosquito in the country.
The stephenses mosquito, found in the Arabian world where it is usually very warm, was recently discovered in Mandera county.
“About two months ago, we confirmed the discovery of a mosquito called stephenses which is a very dangerous mosquito, very efficient in transmission of diseases and can come into any habitat,” Kemri senior lab technologist Michael Opiyo said on Wednesday.
He said the stephenses mosquito carries and transmits more different types of viruses than the other mosquito species including the mars virus, and other respiratory viruses that can cause diseases like dengue fever, chikungunya, yellow fever, among others.
The three common species of mosquitoes in Kenya - culex, anopheles and aedes – prefer certain habitats but the stephenses species survive in any place, especially in towns, according to Opiyo.