By NewsDesk @bactiman63
Nigeria
The World Health Organization (WHO) is reporting a three-fold increase in yellow fever cases in 2019, compared to 2018. There have been cases reported in parts of the country that have confirmed cases for the first time since the outbreak started in September 2017.
4,189 suspected yellow fever cases were reported through Dec. 10 this year from all Nigerian states.
Sixty-eight per cent (134 cases) of the total (197 cases) confirmed cases were reported from four states, including Bauchi, Katsina, Edo and Ebonyi.
The case fatality rate for all cases (including suspected, probable and confirmed) is 5.1%, and 12.2% for confirmed cases.
Mali
The Mali Ministry of Health declared a yellow fever outbreak on Dec. 5 after three cases were reported in the two regions of Sikasso and Koulikoro.
Following the notification of the three initial cases, further epidemiologic investigations identified 12 additional cases, including three deaths. Between 1 September and 8 December 2019, a total of 15 yellow fever cases (including three confirmed cases, twelve suspected cases) with five deaths were recorded.
It is reported that coverage for yellow fever vaccine remains suboptimal in Mali, with WHO-UNICEF estimating the national coverage for 2018 at 67%.
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes and has the potential to spread rapidly, with serious public health impacts. There is no specific treatment, although the disease is preventable using a single dose of yellow fever vaccine, which provides lifetime immunity. Supportive care is required to treat dehydration, respiratory failure and fever; antibiotics are recommended to treat associated bacterial infections.
Leishmaniasis in Kenya: Dozens of new cases reported
DRC measles outbreak grows to 280K cases
