Yellow fever vaccinations for 45,000 in Sudan’s Kordofan
According to the Sudanese Ministry of Health, between 3 October and 5 November, a total of 22 suspected yellow fever cases, resulting in seven deaths, occurred in West and South Kordofan. The case fatality rate is 36.3 per cent, OCHA reports in its latest Humanitarian Bulletin.Initial investigations indicate that the people affected came from Gengaro, Selegi, Masalit, Ghara, Alkarkar in Lagawa locality, Dumaik and Barno in Reif Asharqi locality and Umaddar in Keilak locality. These people are reportedly seasonal workers, coming to Kordofan from eastern Sudan to work in the gum Arabic plantations. In response, a small-scale vaccination campaign was launched on 29 October targeting 1,000 people in the affected areas. To date, 400 of the 1,000 people have been vaccinated. Seasonal workers travelling from eastern Sudan to the affected areas have been vaccinated prior to their departure to Kordofan. On 30 October 2013, a total of 2,000 vaccine doses were made available in the two states. The Sudanese Health Ministry is conducting a yellow fever vaccination campaign between 9-12 November, targeting 45,000 people who have not previously been vaccinated. Unicef and the world Health Organisation (WHO) have provided mosquito nets, vaccines, and financial support to the Ministry.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. Whooping cough WHO and the Sudanese Ministry of Health report that the total number of suspected whooping cases in North Darfur since 30 September, has reached over 200 cases. This includes 73 suspected cases in El Sareif locality and 129 suspected cases in the locality of Kutum.According to the WHO and the Ministry, 16 patients with suspected whooping cough have died. The overwhelming majority of cases have been reported in children under five. Some samples from suspected cases have been sent to the National Public Laboratory in Khartoum for confirmation. A review of routine immunisation coverage is underway, with the implementation of vaccination campaigns in these areas still under discussion. File photo: Laboratory of the Emergency Area in El Fasher Hospital (Albert González Farran/Unamid) Related: Yellow fever outbreak in West Kordofan: Sudan Health Ministry (7 November 2013)Whooping cough outbreak and measles cases in Darfur (2 November 2013)Scabies and whooping cough epidemic among North Darfur children (22 October 2013)
According to the Sudanese Ministry of Health, between 3 October and 5 November, a total of 22 suspected yellow fever cases, resulting in seven deaths, occurred in West and South Kordofan. The case fatality rate is 36.3 per cent, OCHA reports in its latest Humanitarian Bulletin.
Initial investigations indicate that the people affected came from Gengaro, Selegi, Masalit, Ghara, Alkarkar in Lagawa locality, Dumaik and Barno in Reif Asharqi locality and Umaddar in Keilak locality. These people are reportedly seasonal workers, coming to Kordofan from eastern Sudan to work in the gum Arabic plantations.
In response, a small-scale vaccination campaign was launched on 29 October targeting 1,000 people in the affected areas. To date, 400 of the 1,000 people have been vaccinated. Seasonal workers travelling from eastern Sudan to the affected areas have been vaccinated prior to their departure to Kordofan. On 30 October 2013, a total of 2,000 vaccine doses were made available in the two states.
The Sudanese Health Ministry is conducting a yellow fever vaccination campaign between 9-12 November, targeting 45,000 people who have not previously been vaccinated. Unicef and the world Health Organisation (WHO) have provided mosquito nets, vaccines, and financial support to the Ministry.
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.
Whooping cough
WHO and the Sudanese Ministry of Health report that the total number of suspected whooping cases in North Darfur since 30 September, has reached over 200 cases. This includes 73 suspected cases in El Sareif locality and 129 suspected cases in the locality of Kutum.
According to the WHO and the Ministry, 16 patients with suspected whooping cough have died. The overwhelming majority of cases have been reported in children under five. Some samples from suspected cases have been sent to the National Public Laboratory in Khartoum for confirmation.
A review of routine immunisation coverage is underway, with the implementation of vaccination campaigns in these areas still under discussion.
File photo: Laboratory of the Emergency Area in El Fasher Hospital (Albert González Farran/Unamid)
Related:
Yellow fever outbreak in West Kordofan: Sudan Health Ministry (7 November 2013)
Whooping cough outbreak and measles cases in Darfur (2 November 2013)
Scabies and whooping cough epidemic among North Darfur children (22 October 2013)
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