Senegal 
Yellow fever outbreak spreads in Senegal

afrol News, 19 October - The Senegalese Ministry of Health has now confirmed 18 cases and 2 deaths of yellow fever in the country. The outbreak has mainly affected the Diourbel and Fatick regions, only 100-200 kilometres east of the capital. As mass vaccination has been started, authorities fear an uncontrolled outbreak in Dakar.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), laboratory confirmation of yellow fever has now been made by its Collaborating Centre at the Institut Pasteur in Dakar. Fifteen of the cases were reported from Touba. 

A mass immunisation campaign began on 1 October and a total of 800,000 people have been vaccinated in the 4 health districts of Touba, Diourbel, Bambey, and Mbacké. An assessment by WHO had indicated that the campaigns were proceeding well, but additional vaccine were "urgently needed" to complete the immunisation program. 

A second campaign for spraying insecticide in the city of Touba had been conducted by the National Service of Hygiene between 15-17 October. Entomological studies in Touba had found high indices of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito typically responsible for explosive epidemics of urban yellow fever. As a result, vector control activities were also to include larviciding and health education programs for removing mosquito breeding sites, WHO reports.

Health units throughout the country had been notified to increase surveillance for yellow fever. The units had been instructed to report to the central level within 24 hours, all cases fitting a standard case definition. 

There is increased fear of an outbreak in the city of Dakar, which easily could get out of control due to the Senegalese capital's large and dense population. Particular emphasis was therefore focused on strengthening surveillance and vector control in the city. 

Teams with staff from the Senegalese Ministry of Health, Institut Pasteur-Dakar, and WHO were conducting surveillance and case investigation activities. Samples from over 150 suspect cases have been sent to laboratories for testing. There are however no proofs of an outbreak in the capital city so far.

WHO was assisting the Ministry of Health in the areas of surveillance, immunisation and coordination of the response to the outbreak, the UN agency reports. WHO had also "contacted potential donors for assistance with purchasing vaccine."

Sources: Based on UN sources and afrol archive

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