Colombia Issues Health Emergency as Yellow Fever Outbreak Claims Dozens of Lives

Colombia has declared a nationwide health emergency after at least 34 deaths have been attributed to yellow fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease, BBC reports.

The outbreak, which has seen 74 confirmed cases so far, has raised significant public health concerns as the government urges citizens to get vaccinated.

Yellow fever, a disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes, is preventable through vaccination, which in most cases provides lifelong protection. Health authorities are particularly focused on preventing further spread as many Colombians prepare to travel during the upcoming Easter weekend, when movement to warmer regions where mosquitoes are more prevalent typically increases.

Health Minister Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo emphasized that travelers heading to high-risk areas, particularly in the eastern part of Tolima province, would be required to show proof of vaccination. The Tolima region, known for its coffee plantations and tourist attractions, has been the epicenter of the outbreak. Jaramillo noted that the disease’s mortality rate during this outbreak has been alarmingly high, with nearly 50% of those infected succumbing to the disease.

The current outbreak is notably more severe than in recent years, with only two cases recorded in 2023 and no cases reported between 2019 and 2022. The health minister explained that the yellow fever virus can be difficult to diagnose due to its symptoms, which are often similar to those of other fevers. Early symptoms typically include fever, headache, muscle pain, and nausea, while a smaller proportion of patients can progress to a more dangerous phase, involving high fever, jaundice, bleeding, and organ failure.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that those who enter the “toxic” phase of the disease, which affects about 15% of individuals infected, have a high risk of death, with half of these cases resulting in death within 10 to 14 days.

President Gustavo Petro of Colombia also took to social media to urge citizens to avoid high-risk areas during the Easter holiday unless they have been vaccinated. The government is offering the vaccine free of charge and has called on the public to take precautionary measures, particularly as more people are expected to travel to popular tourist destinations.