34 Killed in Colombia’s Yellow Fever Outbreak, Government Declares Emergency

34 Killed in Colombia’s Yellow Fever Outbreak, Government Declares Emergency
AFP
Colombia has declared a national health and economic emergency in response to a serious yellow fever outbreak, urging the public to get vaccinated and exercise caution while traveling over the Easter weekend.
The yellow fever virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, typically causes symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, nausea, and headaches. It is endemic to several South American countries, including Colombia, where the current outbreak has exhibited high mortality rates.
As of this year, Health Minister Guillermo Jaramillo reported on state-run Radio Nacional de Colombia that at least 34 deaths have been confirmed among 74 total cases. “The disease has a nearly 50% mortality rate for those infected,” he noted while discussing the emergency measures.
The virus’s threat has expanded beyond rural areas typically at risk for outbreaks, posing a danger to more urban communities. The most critical situation is in the Tolima region, a major coffee-producing area, where yellow fever cases increased from four in September 2023 to 22 by mid-April, according to Jaramillo.
To mitigate the spread, he announced that vaccination cards will be mandatory for travelers entering or leaving Colombia.
President Gustavo Petro complemented the health directive with an economic emergency declaration and urged citizens to seek vaccination. He advised against travel to high-risk areas, particularly the coffee region, for those who have not been vaccinated.
Petro attributed the virus’s wider spread to climate change, which has allowed Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the carriers of the disease, to thrive at higher elevations.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised its yellow fever alert for South America to level two out of four, noting an uptick in reported cases across the region. It has recommended that travelers consider vaccination or booster shots before visiting certain areas of Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru.