A public health emergency was declared in the state of Rio Grande do Sul last week after confirmation of yellow fever virus circulation in a red zone comprising 23 towns; another 72 municipalities were classified as at-risk (yellow zone). While no human cases have emerged as yet, more than 250 primates have been killed by the virus in the affected area. The health secretary spoke of the ongoing dengue fever outbreak in the state and called for an integrative response from all stakeholders. Vaccinations are planned for the municipalities in both zones ‘where rural and urban activities mix’. And in Santa Catarina, the most recent yellow fever case, a man from Blumenau in Valei do Itajaí, has taken the state’s total for the year to seven. Read more
SÃO PAULO’S health facilities have been dealing with a COVID-19 crisis for many months and are now facing the effects of twin mosquito-borne disease outbreaks, dengue fever and, for the first time, chikungunya. Two hard-hit locations signalled by local media are Baixada Santista on the coast and Tatuí in the interior. Read more. While in the NE state of Piauí, the first confirmed case of Oropouche fever was reported by the Municipal Health Foundation in the capital, Teresina, last month. To date, most notifications of Oropouche virus outbreaks in Brazil have been in the Amazon region.
Advice for travellers
Yellow fever virus is a mosquito-borne disease found in tropical and subtropical areas in Central/South America and Africa. While it can be severe, yellow fever infection is a very rare in Australian travellers. However, under the International Health Regulations (IHR), proof of vaccination may be required of any traveller entering or leaving an area at risk of yellow fever transmission. Read more about yellow fever.
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.