Yellow fever outbreak in West Kordofan: Sudan Health Ministry
Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health has notified the World Health Organisation (WHO) of a yellow fever outbreak in El Reif El Shargi and Lagawa localities in West Kordofan. Between 3 October and 2 November 2013, a total of 20 suspected cases of yellow fever were reported, including seven deaths, presenting a case fatality rate of 35 per cent.Patients were from El Behara camp, Tabag and Alarda in Lagawa locality. El Behara is a camp for seasonal workers for gum arabic plantations. In addition, patients were originally from east Sudan. They travelled to Kordofan a month ago to Kordofan and have started residing at El Behara camp, the WHO reported on Monday. The workers usually travel in groups from east Sudan. Currently, an estimated 200 people are residing in the camp. Immediate priority during this outbreak is to strengthen case management, control the vector and reinforce the disease surveillance system in Kordofan as well as in Kassala and Gedarif states.A technical committee has been established in Khartoum to follow up on the outbreak, a WHO statement reads. Analysis of the data so far received from the field suggests that this is a focal or localised outbreak of yellow fever in an area endemic for the disease.Initial investigation of more than 10 blood specimens was conducted at the National Public Health Laboratory in Khartoum. These samples were taken from the suspected cases in El Reif El Shargi. Of those tested, three samples tested positive for yellow fever.WHO is assisting the Federal Ministry of Health in reconfirming the outbreak by sending all yellow fever positive samples to its Collaborating Centre for Yellow Fever, the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, Senegal. WHO has, through the Federal Ministry of Health, sent supplies to the West Kordofan’s Ministry of Health comprising medical equipment, life-saving medicines, laboratory tools, cleaning tools and disinfectant, mosquito nets and insecticides to the affected area.Late last year, there was an outbreak of yellow fever in Darfur region, in what the WHO termed “Africa’s worst in decades”. The total number of suspected yellow fever cases has reached 849, including 171 deaths (case fatality rate 20.1 per cent). A three-phase vaccination campaign was conducted and about five million people were vaccinated in the five states of Darfur.File photo: A farmer accompanies his son (in bed), who is being assisted at the Teaching Hospital in El Geneina, after being infected with Yellow Fever.Related: Darfur yellow fever epidemic: ‘Africa’s worst in decades’, WHO (7 December 2012)
Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health has notified the World Health Organisation (WHO) of a yellow fever outbreak in El Reif El Shargi and Lagawa localities in West Kordofan. Between 3 October and 2 November 2013, a total of 20 suspected cases of yellow fever were reported, including seven deaths, presenting a case fatality rate of 35 per cent.
Patients were from El Behara camp, Tabag and Alarda in Lagawa locality. El Behara is a camp for seasonal workers for gum arabic plantations. In addition, patients were originally from east Sudan. They travelled to Kordofan a month ago to Kordofan and have started residing at El Behara camp, the WHO reported on Monday.
The workers usually travel in groups from east Sudan. Currently, an estimated 200 people are residing in the camp. Immediate priority during this outbreak is to strengthen case management, control the vector and reinforce the disease surveillance system in Kordofan as well as in Kassala and Gedarif states.
A technical committee has been established in Khartoum to follow up on the outbreak, a WHO statement reads. Analysis of the data so far received from the field suggests that this is a focal or localised outbreak of yellow fever in an area endemic for the disease.
Initial investigation of more than 10 blood specimens was conducted at the National Public Health Laboratory in Khartoum. These samples were taken from the suspected cases in El Reif El Shargi. Of those tested, three samples tested positive for yellow fever.
WHO is assisting the Federal Ministry of Health in reconfirming the outbreak by sending all yellow fever positive samples to its Collaborating Centre for Yellow Fever, the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, Senegal. WHO has, through the Federal Ministry of Health, sent supplies to the West Kordofan’s Ministry of Health comprising medical equipment, life-saving medicines, laboratory tools, cleaning tools and disinfectant, mosquito nets and insecticides to the affected area.
Late last year, there was an outbreak of yellow fever in Darfur region, in what the WHO termed “Africa’s worst in decades”. The total number of suspected yellow fever cases has reached 849, including 171 deaths (case fatality rate 20.1 per cent). A three-phase vaccination campaign was conducted and about five million people were vaccinated in the five states of Darfur.
File photo: A farmer accompanies his son (in bed), who is being assisted at the Teaching Hospital in El Geneina, after being infected with Yellow Fever.
Related: Darfur yellow fever epidemic: ‘Africa’s worst in decades’, WHO (7 December 2012)
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