YELLOW FEVER - AFRICA (10): EAST AFRICA, TRAVEL ALERT
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A ProMED-mail post
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http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
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http://www.isid.org>
Date: Fri 21 Jan 2011
Source: AllAfrica, Daily Nation (Kenya) [edited]
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http://allafrica.com/stories/201101240158.html>
A mandatory yellow fever jab [vaccination] for travellers within East
Africa was ordered yesterday [20 Jan 2011] to contain an outbreak of
the disease in Uganda. Tanzania's health minister Dr Hadji Mponda said
efforts are being made to establish vaccination centres at all border
posts following a meeting of the region's health ministers in Arusha.
Dr Mponda told reporters the East African Community [EAC] partner
states have agreed to make vaccination against the disease compulsory.
Although he said no case of the disease had been reported in Tanzania,
he admitted that his ministry could not rule out a possibility of the
epidemic crossing into the country. "We have tightened screening of
travellers entering the country and I have not been notified of any
case within our borders," he said.
Dr Mponda said that the new measures would reinforce yellow fever
checks at major airports, where the on-the-spot jabs would also be
administered. Dr Stanley Sonoya, head of the health unit at the EAC
secretariat, said the health ministers would consider joint
cross-border immmunisation campaigns.
According to Ugandan authorities, at least 190 people have been
affected by the outbreak with 48 reported killed as at [30 Dec 2010].
Speaking at the meeting, EAC deputy secretary-general Jean Claude
Nsengiyumva said the yellow fever outbreak was a major concern to the
region. Kenya's Public Health minister Beth Mugo said she was not
aware if the disease had spread into her country.
[Byline: Zephania Ubwani]
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Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
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promed@promedmail.org>
[East African health authorities doubtless are aware that solid
immunity is achieved 10 days after administration of the vaccine.
Individuals entering into the area of yellow fever virus transmission
should be vaccinated at least 10 days before entering those areas. For
those leaving the affected area, vaccination will not instantly
terminate a yellow fever virus infection and viremic individuals can
cross international borders with their virus. Nonetheless, vaccination
of travelers will immunize mobile individuals and intensification of
surveillance of travelers to detect ill, febrile individuals as they
cross borders, may both be helpful in reducing the risk of spread into
neighboring countries.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing Uganda and
neighboring East African countries can be accessed at
<
http://healthmap.org/r/0089>. - Mod.TY]]
