Following a recent outbreak of the yellow fever virus in the southern African country of Angola, the Ministry of Public Health is advising persons desirous of travelling out of Guyana to ensure that their immunization status is up-to-date before leaving the country.
According to a public advisory issued by the Ministry last week, persons travelling out of various countries like Guyana where there the Aedes Aegypti mosquito – a known vector for transmitting the virus – is present, are required to be vaccinated. Persons are advised to have in their possession, their Yellow Fever cards which they may be required to produce at some ports before entry is granted.
Some travel firms have also issued similar advisories including the airline Fly Jamaica, and the Canawaima Ferry Service Inc which transports persons between Guyana and Suriname.
The notice issued by the Canawaima Ferry Service says with immediate effect, passengers travelling to Suriname would be required to have in their possession, their Yellow Fever cards to show that they have been vaccinated.
Meanwhile, Fly Jamaica’s advisory states that the vaccination against yellow fever is required to prevent the importation of the yellow fever virus into Jamaica where the disease does not occur but where the mosquito vector and human hosts are present. The notice on the airline’s website observes that the Jamaican government has mandated that all travellers over one year, journeying from yellow fever risk countries, have to show proof of yellow fever vaccination by means of a valid yellow fever certificate.
This measure has been enforced since May 29 and applies to all travellers transiting through countries with risk of transmission of yellow fever. “Failure to produce a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate at a Jamaican point of entry may lead to refusal of entry, or quarantine until the traveller’s certificate is produced. Quarantine will not be longer than six days,” the advisory stated.
However, travellers who have an approved exemption certificate due to medical reasons, will be allowed entry. It was noted that such persons will be provided with a Health Alert Card and will be required to report fever or other symptoms daily to the health authorities in Jamaica while ad hoc monitoring visits will be carried out on these visitors by the public health authorities. Meantime, there has been an increase in demand for the vaccine locally and Minister of Public Health Dr George Norton, has confirmed that a shipment due to arrive last Monday, is here. He said while there is no cause for citizens to be alarmed, it is in the travelling public’s interest to ensure that they are vaccinated before any travel is undertaken, for the sake of their health as well as to avoid being denied entry into other countries.
The certificate of yellow fever vaccination is valid for life and the minister pointed out that persons can be vaccinated at their nearest regional/local vaccination centres. He warned that those desirous of leaving the country should have the vaccine administered at least ten days before travel as this will allow enough time for the body to develop protection against the yellow fever infection.
Additionally, the Ministry also recommended that persons who have been previously vaccinated and are in receipt of necessary documentation to prove this, visit the nearest regional vaccination centre to receive their International Yellow Fever Vaccination Record (Yellow Card).
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) website, yellow fever virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes, the most common species being Aedes aegypti – the same mosquito that spreads the Zika virus.
Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. A small percentage of infected people experience a second more severe phase of illness which includes high fever, jaundice and internal bleeding. At least half of severely affected patients who do not receive treatment die within 10 to 14 days.
Alluding to the current outbreak in Angola, the WHO website noted that the outbreak was first reported in Angola’s capital city of Luanda in December 2015 and has since spread to five of the country’s 18 provinces. It was noted that this outbreak is the worst to have hit the country in over 30 years with a total of 3,294 suspected yellow fever cases and 347 reported deaths in Angola.
Additionally, three countries have also reported the existence of yellow fever cases suspected to have been exported from Angola.
The website also listed a total of 43 countries, including Guyana, where there is a risk of yellow fever transmission and said that persons travelling from those countries would more than likely be required to provide their certificate of yellow fever vaccination at ports of entry.
