Brazil: Yellow fever outbreak continues in southeast /update 7

Event

Health officials have announced that as of Thursday, March 1, at least 723 cases of yellow fever had been confirmed in the country, including 237 deaths, since July 2017.

The worst-hit areas have been the southeastern states of Minas Gerais (314 cases, 103 deaths), São Paulo (307 cases, 95 deaths), and Rio de Janeiro (96 cases, 38 deaths). While yellow fever has not yet been detected in cities, urban cases cannot be ruled out. Major vaccination campaigns against the disease are ongoing in the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Bahia.

Context

Symptoms of yellow fever - a mosquito-borne disease - generally appear within three to six days following infection and include fever, chills, muscle and back pain, vomiting, headaches, and, in more serious cases, hemorrhaging and organ failure. The vaccine provides lifelong immunity.

Various other mosquito-borne diseases are also present in Brazil, in both urban and rural areas, including dengue fever, chikungunya, the Zika virus, and malaria.

Advice

Individuals in or planning travel to the affected regions are advised to stay abreast of local epidemiological developments, consult their doctor regarding vaccination options, and continue to protect themselves against insects due to the presence of various mosquito-borne diseases (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping in screened-in and/or air-conditioned rooms).