State issues alert over yellow fever

By Elizabeth Mwai

The Government has issued a travel advisory to people planning to go to northern Uganda following an outbreak of yellow fever.

The Director of Public Health and Sanitation Shahnaaz Sharif yesterday urged Kenyans visiting northern Uganda to get a yellow fever vaccine after a total of 206 cases including 51 deaths were reported in the neighboring country.

"My advice to Kenyans planning to travel to northern Uganda is that they must get vaccinated at least seven days before the day of travel," said Dr Sharif.

Issuing the alert at the Public Health Ministry headquarters, he said although no case has been detected in Kenya it is important for the people planning to visit northern Uganda to protect themselves by getting yellow fever vaccine.

Sharif said the Government was working in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and the Center for Disease Control to conduct a risk assessment. "Once this is done we will be able to know the population of people at risk," he said.

Currently the population at risk are those people living in Turkana and Pokot District, which border northern Uganda. However, following the severe drought in northern Kenya pastoralists are moving into the danger zone in search of pasture.

"Our team on the ground is in the process of establishing in which areas these Kenyans have moved to, to facilitate easy monitoring," he said.

The country last experienced an outbreak of yellow fever in Kerio Valley in 1992, which caused illness in 55 people and resulted in five deaths.

Sharif said they have alerted all health workers especially in the risk spots to remain vigilant and report any suspected case.

Vaccines available

The vaccines are commercially available at a cost of Sh500 in Nairobi City Council’s public health department, ports of entry, public health units, and selected clinics in Nairobi and Kisumu Municipal Council’s public health department.

However, those who had gotten the vaccine in the last 10 years do not need to be immunised again.

Sharif said the disease was first detected in October in 12 districts in northern Uganda with five of these cases having been confirmed in the laboratory. The affected districts include; Abim, Agago, Kitgum, Kaabong, Kotido, Lamwo, Arua, Lira, Pader, Gulu Nebbi and Napak. He said Kaabong District in northern Uganda shares a common border with Kenya but the disease has not spilled over yet.