Yellow fever in Côte d'Ivoire

25 January 2011 - On 3 January 2011, the Minister of Health in Côte d'Ivoire notified WHO of a yellow fever outbreak in the north of the country. As of January 17, 2011 a total of 12 cases tested IgM positive by ELISA at the Institut Pasteur of Abidjan and were subsequently confirmed positive for yellow fever by the regional reference laboratory, the Institut Pasteur of Dakar (by ELISA and PRNT). These cases originate from Béoumi and Katiola districts, in the Bandama Valley Region in the centre of the country, and Séguéla and Mankono in the Worodougou Region in the north of the country.

In response to this outbreak, a field investigation was conducted in Béoumi and Katiola districts from 10 to 15 January 2011 by the Ministry of Health with support from the WHO country office. During this investigation a total of 64 suspected cases, including 25 deaths, were identified. Further laboratory testing is on-going.

On 22 January, the Ministry of Health of Cote d'Ivoire started an emergency vaccination campaign targeting over 840,000 people aged nine months and older in Béoumi, Katiola, Mankono and Séguéla districts, with support from WHO and UNICEF. GAVI-funded vaccines released by the International Coordinating Group on Yellow Fever Vaccine Provision (YF-ICG) for the 2010 country mass preventive campaign will be used. The four districts were part of the 61 districts chosen for the preventive campaign, which could not be conducted last year due to the political situation.

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