Following the first yellow fever outbreak in Uganda since 1972, the government of the country has announced that it will vaccinate 2.5 million people against the disease. The current outbreak, which is reported to have started approximately 2 months ago, has killed 48 people.
"We are doing all we can to contain the disease," Kenya-Mugisha said. "We are working with our partners to mobilize our resources to vaccinate (in) the affected areas."
Yellow Fever, a disease transmitted by mosquito bites, can cause liver failure, which leads to the skin-yellowing jaundice for which the condition is named as well as hemorrhage.
Prior to this current outbreak, the CDC has recommended that all US travelers be vaccinated for Yellow Fever before entering Uganda, but this current outbreak only gives this recommendation greater urgency.
If you plan to travel to Uganda in the near future, be sure to call Passport Health to schedule an appointment for your Yellow Fever vaccination.
Sources: CIDRAP, CNN
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