Brazil govt to distribute 11.5 mllion yellow fever vaccine doses

The yellow fever outbreak in Brazil has prompted the Ministry of Health to raise its supply of immunisation by 11.5 million doses in addition to the 5.5 million already provided to states this year alone. In non-outbreak years, nationwide vaccine distribution ranged between 800,000 and a million doses, says Carla Domingues, Coordinator of the National Immunisation Programme.

According to the health ministry, 438 potential cases of yellow fever have been reported in the country. Of the 89 reported deaths, 40 were confirmed related to yellow fever and 49 are still being investigated. There were reports in Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Bahia, São Paulo, and the Federal District.

Out of the 11.5 million additional order, 6 million will be provided in the next few days, and 5.5 million will be supplied based on state demand. Minas Gerais, the state with the largest number of cases and deaths from the disease so far, has been provided with at least 2.9 million doses. The federal government aims to stop the spread of the disease by immunising the population in regions neighbouring Minas Gerais.

At a press conference on Wednesday (Jan 25), representatives of health departments in states that report potential cases in humans or deaths of monkeys from the disease have called on the population to use judgment before seeking immunisation. They argued people have been looking for immunisation in locations it is not needed—including big cities in Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, despite the prevalence of the disease in rural areas.

Translated by Mayra Borges