Yellow fever kills 4 in N. Darfur: minister

The Minister of Health of North Darfur announced that four people died of yellow fever in the state, when speaking to Radio Dabanga on Monday, 17 December. Minister Abu Al Abbas Al-Tayeb Abdullah Jibdu also announced that six patients were diagnosed with the disease.   According to Jibdu, yellow fever killed two people in the gold mining area of Jebel ‘Amer, one in Saraf Omra locality and another in Kabkabiya. In addition, one patient was reportedly infected with the disease in Kabkabiya, four in Jebel ‘Amer and one in Saraf Omra. Speaking to Radio Dabanga, Jibdu denied that authorities have ignored the emergence of yellow fever in Jebel ‘Amer. He stressed that 100 percent of the population has been vaccinated in the area by a medical team stationed there for two months now. The minister also stated that people have already been vaccinated in border areas such as El-Sref Beni Hussein, Kabkabiya and Saraf Omra.   Hepatitis At the same time, Jibdu revealed that a number of people have been diagnosed with hepatitis in Jebel ‘Amer.   He asserted that 20 blood samples were taken from the area and sent for testing to a laboratory in Khartoum and others were sent to laboratories abroad. According to the results already received, two of these samples tested positive for yellow fever while other 20 tested positive for hepatitis.Radio Dabanga file photoRelated: Minister: hepatitis outbreak in W. Darfur (13 December 2012)