Yellow Fever in the Americas
20 Sep 2016
On the 14 September 2016 the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) published an epidemiological update on Yellow Fever virus (YFV) in the Americas
. In 2015, three countries in the Americas confirmed circulation YFV: Brazil and Peru reported human cases, and Bolivia reported cases in animals.
This year Brazil, Colombia, and Peru have reported jungle YFV between January and August. Brazil has reported three cases of YFV, two locally aquired and one imported from Angola. The locally aquired cases in Brazil were reported in São Paulo state and in the state of Goiás. Colombia reported a total of 17 YFV cases; 5 laboratory confirmed and 12 probable. Four of out of Colombia's 17 cases are indigenous. Four out of five of Colombia's confirmed cases died. Peru reported 85 YFV cases; 62 laboratory confirmed and 23 probable. The majority of Perus's cases are farmers, informal miners, and persons who entered jungled areas.
Advice to travellers
A traveller's risk of yellow fever is determined by their general risk assessment e.g. country visited, length of stay, city or rural, activities etc.
Mosquito bite avoidance rules should be adhered to - the mosquito that spreads yellow fever bites predominantly during the day.
Yellow fever vaccine should be considered for travellers at risk.