After confirming the first death from yellow fever in 2024, the Ministry of Health (MS) issued an alert last Sunday, 28th, to intensify surveillance and immunization actions in areas with active transmission of the virus.
The Secretary of Health and Environmental Surveillance of the Ministry of Health (SVSA/MS), Ethel Maciel, highlighted that yellow fever is a disease easily preventable through vaccination, which is available free of charge in the Unified Health System (SUS) for all age groups.
“Anti-vaccine campaigns, in addition to harming the fight against Covid-19, also had a negative impact on vaccination coverage against yellow fever, which is below what is recommended. Therefore, it is crucial that the entire population is up to date with vaccinations,” said Ethel in a statement from the Ministry of Health.
Yellow fever is a disease with a high fatality rate. In the last six months, four cases were registered in the country, one in Roraima, one in Amazonas and two in the state of São Paulo, resulting in three deaths.
The two most recent cases include the death of a 50-year-old man, resident of the region between Águas de Lindóia and Monte Sião, on the border of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, which occurred last Friday, the 26th. In addition to him, a man of 28 years old, in the municipality of Serra Grande, was also diagnosed with the disease, but has now recovered.
Although yellow fever is endemic in the Amazon region, the virus occasionally resurfaces in areas outside that region. Its occurrence is seasonal, with most cases occurring between December and May. Outbreaks are triggered when the virus encounters conditions conducive to transmission, such as high temperatures, low vaccination coverage and high density of vectors and hosts.
The Ministry of Health recommends that surveillance and immunization teams intensify actions in affected areas, expanding them to neighboring municipalities, report the occurrence of illness or death of monkeys and be alert to symptoms of mild and moderate fever in unvaccinated people .
The concern is that a new wave of transmission will begin, mainly because the main vector of the disease is Aedes aegyptithe same mosquito that transmits dengue fever.
Regarding vaccination, the agency recommended the active search for unvaccinated people in affected areas. To support the actions, the ministry made 150,000 extra doses of the yellow fever vaccine available to the state of São Paulo last Friday, the 27th, and recommended free access to vaccination in health units, without the need for prior scheduling.
How is the transmission?
In general, the disease is currently transmitted only by wild mosquitoes, which live in forest areas. To the EstadãoRegiane de Paula, coordinator of Health Surveillance (CCD/SES-SP), recommended that all people who plan to travel to the forest area, that is, “go to camps, trails and waterfalls”, be vaccinated as soon as possible.
In the urban cycle, yellow fever can also be transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the same one that transmits dengue, but cases of this type have not been recorded in the country since 1942.
What are the symptoms of yellow fever?
According to the Ministry of Health, the initial symptoms of the disease are: sudden onset fever, chills, pain in the head, back and body in general, as well as nausea, vomiting and weakness.
As a rule, people improve after these symptoms, but 15% remain symptom-free for about a day and then progress to more serious conditions. Therefore, it is important to have medical monitoring.
Is yellow fever serious?
Could it be. According to the Ministry of Health, around 20 to 50% of people who develop severe yellow fever may die. Therefore, as soon as the first signs and symptoms appear, it is essential to seek medical help.
What is the treatment?
Treatment is only in relation to the symptoms, which must be carried out with medical advice. Therefore, the main protective measure against yellow fever is vaccination.
Source: Estadão
