The government of Minas Gerais state in southeastern Brazil decreed Saturday a public health emergency situation in three regional state for six months because of yellow fever. The measure covers the regional health units of the municipalities of Belo Horizonte, Itabira and Ponte Nova – 94 cities in total, according to a Jornal do Brazil report (computer translated).

Image/CIA
Image/CIA

The decree signed by governor Fernando Pimentel authorizes the adoption of administrative measures necessary to contain the outbreak, especially the public acquisition of supplies and materials. In addition, the measure ensures the contracting of services necessary to attend to the emergency situation.

With the second period of epidemiological monitoring of cases of yellow fever in Minas Gerais, from July last year to the beginning of this year, 22 cases of the disease were confirmed in the state. According to the State Department of Health, of these, 15 resulted in death. During this period, 40 suspected cases were ruled out, and 46 cases were investigated in 24 municipalities.

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Currently, the accumulated vaccine coverage of yellow fever in the state of Minas Gerais is around 82%. According to an epidemiological report released on Wednesday , it is estimated that there are just over 3 million people who have not yet been vaccinated, especially in the age group of 15 to 59 years, which was also the most affected by the epidemic of wild yellow fever occurred in 2017.