Yellow Fever Situation Report
A yellow fever outbreak was detected in Luanda, Angola late in December 2015. The 1st cases were confirmed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa on 19 Jan 2016 and by the Institut Pasteur Dakar (IP-D) on 20 January. Subsequently, a rapid increase in the number of cases has been observed. Summary Angola: 3867 suspected cases In Angola, no confirmed cases have been reported in July or August [2016]. As of 4 Aug 2016, a total of 3867 suspected cases have been reported, of which 879 are laboratory confirmed. The total number of reported deaths is 369, of which 119 were reported among confirmed cases. Confirmed cases have been reported in 16 of 18 provinces. The priorities for the response in Angola are to complete the pre-emptive vaccination campaigns in bordering areas and at-risk districts, to maintain a strong surveillance and case-finding system, and to continue vector control activities. Mass reactive vaccination campaigns have covered most of the affected parts of Angola. The pre-emptive vaccination phase targeting 3 million people in 18 districts is expected to start on 15 Aug [2016]. Four additional districts which border Namibia will be vaccinated in early August. Democratic Republic of the Congo: 2269 suspected cases As of 8 Aug [2015], Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported a total of 2269 suspected cases. As of 8 Aug [2015], out of 1943 samples analysed in DRC 74 cases have been confirmed including 16 deaths (CFR: 21.6 per cent). Confirmed cases have been reported in 7 of 26 provinces. Of the 74 confirmed cases, 56 are reported as imported from Angola, 3 are sylvatic (not related to the outbreak), 12 are autochthonous and 3 are under final investigation. Preventive vaccination campaigns are scheduled to begin on 17 Aug [2016] in 32 Health Zones in Kinshasa province and 16 Health Zones in border areas with Angola. Fractional dosing, also known as emergency vaccines, will be implemented in the vaccination campaigns in Kinshasa. Vaccination WHO has sent more than 28 million vaccine doses to Angola, DRC and Uganda through the International Coordinating Group (ICG) global stockpile and with additional vaccines from Bio-Manguinhos in Brazil. As of 10 Aug 2016, 21 million vaccine doses have been approved for Angola and 11.5 million doses for DRC. Risk assessment The outbreak in Angola is receding and no confirmed case has been reported in the country during July and beginning of August (as of 4 Aug [2016]). However, a high level of vigilance needs to be maintained throughout the country, and the pre-emptive mass vaccination campaign will be implemented as planned. In DRC, there is a need for heightened vigilance as the outbreak has spread to new provinces and new Health Zones in the 3 previously affected provinces. Given the presence and activity of the vector aedes in the country and low immunity of the population, the outbreak might continue to extend to other provinces.
