Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that there is an outbreak of yellow fever in Brazil and further transmission of the disease is expected in the coming months.
Yellow fever is a serious infection spread by mosquitoes, it is commonly found in parts of South America, Central America, Africa and the Caribbean.
The first symptoms of yellow fever usually develop three to six days after being infected; these include a high temperature (100.4F/ 38C), a headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
Most people make a full recovery after three or four days, however, a few people can develop more serious symptoms such as yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), bleeding from the mouth, nose or eyes or vomiting blood. Up to half of these individuals who get the latter symptoms will pass away.
It was reported that from December 2018 to January 2019, there were 36 confirmed cases, including eight deaths from 11 municipalities in Brazil.
WHO has assessed the overall risk as high at the national level, moderate at the regional level, and low at the global level.
Travellers have been advised to be aware of the signs and symptoms of yellow fever and should seek healthcare immediately if they experience any of the symptoms.
To find out more about the full range of travel vaccinations we have available go to https://harrowhealthcare.co.uk/our-services/travel-clinic/
