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Yellow fever outbreak in Kenya (Isiolo County) - update 1

29 Mar 2022

According to the World Health Organization, an outbreak of yellow fever in Kenya is growing in Isiolo County, to the north of Nairobi. From 12 January 2022 to 15 March 2022 there have been 56 cases including 6 deaths from yellow fever.

A public health alert has been raised in all 47 counties of Kenya, particularly in the high-risk counties of Wajir, Garissa, Marsabit, Meru, Samburu, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Turkana.

Yellow fever is a viral disease that is transmitted by infected mosquitoes that bite during the day. The most common symptoms are fever, muscle pain with obvious backache, headache, loss of appetite, and feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting). A small proportion of people who become infected can become severely unwell and die.

Advice to travellers

If you are visiting an area where yellow fever is present you should:

A yellow fever vaccine is available to protect you against yellow fever.  Vaccination is recommended if you are visiting areas where there is a risk of yellow fever transmission. The vaccine is only available at designated yellow fever centres.

Please see the fitfortravel Kenya country page and Yellow Fever page for more information.