After confirming the first death from yellow fever in 2024, the Ministry of Health (MS) issued an alert to intensify surveillance and immunization actions in areas with active transmission of the virus.
The Secretary of Health and Environmental Surveillance of the Ministry of Health (SVSA/MS), Ethel Maciel, highlighted that yellow fever is a disease easily preventable through vaccination, which is available free of charge in the Unified Health System (SUS) for all age groups.
“The anti-vaccine campaigns, in addition to harming the fight against Covid-19, also had a negative impact on vaccination coverage against yellow fever, which is below what is recommended. Therefore, it is crucial that the entire population is up to date with vaccinations,” said Ethel in a statement from the Ministry of Health.
Yellow fever is a disease with a high fatality rate. In the last six months, four cases were registered in the country, one in Roraima, one in Amazonas and two in the state of São Paulo, resulting in three deaths.
The two most recent cases include the death of a 50-year-old man, resident of the region between Águas de Lindóia and Monte Sião on the border of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, occurred last Friday (26). In addition to him, a 28-year-old man, in the municipality of Serra Grande, was also diagnosed with the disease, but has already recovered.
Although yellow fever is endemic in the Amazon region, the virus occasionally resurfaces in areas outside that region. Its occurrence is seasonal, with most cases occurring between December and May. Outbreaks are triggered when the virus encounters conditions conducive to transmission, such as high temperatures, low vaccination coverage and high density of vectors and hosts.
The Ministry of Health recommends that surveillance and immunization teams intensify actions in affected areas, expanding them to neighboring municipalities, report the occurrence of illness or death of monkeys and be alert to symptoms of mild and moderate fever in unvaccinated people .
The concern is that a new wave of transmission will begin, mainly because the main vector of the disease is Aedes aegypti, the same mosquito that transmits dengue. .
Regarding vaccination, the agency recommended the active search for unvaccinated people in affected areas. To support the actions, the ministry made available 150,000 extra doses of the yellow fever vaccine for the state of São Paulo on Friday, 27th, and recommended free access to vaccination in health units, without the need for prior scheduling.
Information from Estadão Content
Source: CNN Brasil
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