Brazil health officials have confirmed 723 yellow fever cases and 237 deaths in the period from July 1, 2017 to February 28 of this year.

Public domain image/Deyvid Aleksandr Raffo Setti
Public domain image/Deyvid Aleksandr Raffo Setti

On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their travel notice for Brazil.

Travelers to Brazil should protect themselves from yellow fever by getting yellow fever vaccine at least 10 days before travel, and preventing mosquito bites.

In addition to areas in Brazil where yellow fever vaccination has been recommended since before the recent outbreaks, the vaccine is now also recommended for people who are traveling to or living in: All of Espirito Santo State, São Paulo State, and Rio de Janeiro State as well as a number of cities in Bahia State.

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People who have never been vaccinated against yellow fever should avoid traveling to areas of Brazil where yellow fever vaccination is recommended.

Yellow fever vaccine is the best protection against yellow fever disease, which can be fatal. Anyone 9 months or older who travels to areas where yellow fever vaccine is recommended should be vaccinated against yellow fever at least 10 days before travel. For most travelers, one dose of yellow fever vaccine provides long-lasting protection. However, parts of Brazil are currently higher risk because of the outbreak. Travelers may consider getting a booster dose of yellow fever vaccine if traveling to areas with yellow fever outbreaks and it’s been 10 or more years since they were vaccinated. Areas with outbreaks include the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo.