FAO monitoring shows Northwest Africa entering a new phase of desert locust activity, with Morocco facing the highest pressure and neighboring countries preparing for possible summer migrations toward Sahelian breeding zones.

Small desert locust swarms recently detected along the western Sahara corridor have prompted stepped-up monitoring across parts of North and West Africa, where shifting rainfall can quickly turn quiet desert areas into launchpads for wider infestations.

Mauritania is confronting a concentrated desert locust outbreak, while FAO warns that shifting winds and favorable conditions could bring adult groups into neighboring countries.

Hospitals in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou are reporting a surge of patients suffering from an unidentified fever that health experts say may be linked to the spread of Rift Valley fever across West Africa.