Residents of south and SE regions have been urged to get the yellow fever vaccination as peak season for the mosquito-borne infection arrives amid reports of deaths among monkeys, YF forest reservoirs, in the states of Paraná, São Paulo and Santa Catarina. The southern regions are mentioned specifically in view of ‘a large population and a low number of vaccinated people’. The January Epidemiological Bulletin lists by region the number of suspected and confirmed YF cases between July 2019 and Jan 2020, as well as epizootics. Read more
GLOBAL monitoring of chikungunya and dengue fever published in the week 3 ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) named Brazil as one of four countries recording the most chikungunya cases since the Dec 20 update – the others were Thailand, India and Malaysia. The summary of dengue in 2019 revealed that Brazil’s dengue cases were 10 times higher than the previous year and accounted for more than 70 percent of dengue in the region – 2,201,000 cases. Notable upticks in dengue reporting were also seen in most SE Asian and Asian countries.
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.