Minister of Health Yolanda Awel Deng. (-)

The National Ministry of Health has declared a yellow fever outbreak in Yambio of Western Equatoria State, adding that it is importing the disease’s vaccine this week to start a mass vaccination campaign.

The health ministry on Saturday declared the outbreak after five suspected cases were reported in Yambio County. The yellow fever suspects include four in Nzara County, and one in Tambura County.

The outbreak was pronounced a month after the Ministry deployed a rapid response team to investigate an alert of the viral fever in Western Equatoria following the death of five people.

Speaking to the media in Juba during the announcement of the outbreak on Saturday, Minister Yolanda Awel Deng said the vaccine will be available in the coming weeks.

“We are intercepting that in the coming week. Yellow fever vaccine will be available, and we shall commence vaccination in Yambio and surrounding counties to counter the spread of the virus,” Awel said.

Minister Awel said his ministry urged the public and travelers to vaccinate for yellow fever and practice preventive measures.

“The Ministry of Health is encouraging the general public to observe health guidelines. All travelers in and out South Sudan must be vaccinated against yellow fever and should have yellow fever card.”

“Travelers are urged to comply with this travel reequipment to ensure that the risk of spreading yellow fever through international travelers is minimized.”

Awel said the general public must always sleep under a mosquito net and report any suspected cases of the nearest health facility by using the hotline number 6666.

She further called on the public to cooperate with officials during the investigation and respond to the outbreak.

According to the Ministry and the World Health Organization, one suspected viral hemorrhagic fever death was reported on New Year’s Eve in Yambio County bringing the cumulative number of deaths to five.

– Yellow fever –

According to Cleveland Clinic, yellow fever is a viral disease spread by the bite of specific kinds of mosquitoes.

These mosquitoes and yellow fever are found in areas of Africa and South America located in the tropics and subtropics. The mosquitoes are infected when they bite primates who have the virus.

The yellow fever virus can have a range of symptoms. Some people may have no symptoms. It can present with mild flu-like symptoms but can also be deadly in its most severe form.

You could have flu-like symptoms with aches, pains and fever or you could begin bleeding and develop liver disease. Symptoms take about three to six days to develop.

People who work or live in the jungles of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America are most affected by yellow fever.