Yellow Fever Outbreak Africa's Worst in Decades: WHO

An outbreak of mosquito-borne yellow fever which has claimed at least 165 people in Sudan's Darfur region is Africa's worst in decades, says the World Health Organization.

"Definitely, this outbreak now could be classed as the largest outbreak" since at least 1990, WHO country representative Anshu Banerjee told AFP.

Since September 2, there have been 732 suspected yellow fever cases in Darfur, including 165 deaths, said a separate report from WHO and Sudan's health ministry.

Outbreaks in other countries have been smaller because their routine vaccination programmes have started to include yellow fever, whereas Darfur had never had vaccinations for the virus until last month, Banerjee said.

That has left the population with no immunity.

"Anyone would be at risk," he said.

Source: AFP