The World Health Organization (WHO) has been notified by the Sudanese Health Ministry of a yellow fever outbreak in West Kordofan state, according to a WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Meditteranean news release.
Based on the information available, the outbreak appears to be localized in the El-Reif El-Shargi and Lagawa localities of the state.
More than 10 blood samples have been tested for yellow fever from suspected cases in El-Reif El-Shargi locality in West Kordofan state by the National Public Health Laboratory in Khartoum. At least three samples have tested positive for the virus.
According to the WHO release, between 3 October and 2 November 2013, a total of 20 suspected cases of yellow fever were reported, including seven deaths, presenting a case fatality rate of 35%.
Patients were from Al-behara camp, Tabag and Alarda in Lagawa locality. Al-Behara is a camp for seasonal workers for gum arabic plantation.
In addition, patients were originally from east Sudan who travelled a month ago to Kordofan and have started residing at Al-Behara camp. The workers usually travel in groups from east Sudan. Currently, an estimated number of 200 people are residing in the camp.
The WHO has sent supplies to the State Ministry of Health comprising of medical equipment, life-saving medicines, laboratory tools, cleaning tools and disinfectant, mosquito nets and insecticides to the affected area.
During the last quarter of 2012, there was an outbreak of yellow fever in Darfur region. The total number of suspected yellow fever cases has reached 849, including 171 deaths (case–fatality rate 20.1%).
Three emergency vaccination campaigns were conducted resulting in approximately five million people vaccinated in the five states of Darfur.
Comment: It is recommended that all travelers from India to Sudan and other african countries take Yellow Fever vaccination to protect themselves against this deadly mosquito borne disease.
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