Min of health orders mass vaccination for Yellow Fever

Cameroon’s ministry of public health has ordered a mass vaccination of the public in the South West region after confirming two cases of yellow fever in the port city of Tiko and further hinterlands in Fontem.

Vaccination centres will be set up at health institutions, markets, churches and other public places to reach as many people as possible to curb the spread of the disease, local media reported. The region has a population of about 1.4 million.

Yellow fever is a fatal viral haemorrhagic fever that causes fever, slow pulse, jaundice and congestion of the face. It kills about 20 t0 40% of its victims and is transmitted by a mosquito.

A similar outbreak also involving two confirmed cases was reported in the Littoral region which borders the South West to the southeast last year, prompting a region wide vaccination there.

The year before, 1.2 million people were targeted for mass vaccination in the north of the country after the fever killed at least eight people. Between 2012 and 2013, Cameroon reported at least 23 yellow fever cases, according to the World Health Organisation.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are approximately 200,000 cases of yellow fever worldwide each year, and 30,000 deaths. About 90% of all cases occur in Africa.

Officials in the South West said a single case of yellow fever was enough for an epidemic to be declared and are vaccinating children and adults throughout the region.

Travellers to Cameroon are required to provide proof of yellow fever vaccination before entering the country.