South Sudan has confirmed a fatal case of yellow fever in Morobo County, Central Equatoria State, involving a 48-year-old farmer who had recently travelled to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the health ministry said on Tuesday.
The man, a resident of Okaba village in Gulumbi Payam, travelled to Ariwara in the DRC about two weeks before developing symptoms, according to a November 10 ministry statement seen by Radio Tamazuj.
He developed fever, headache, fatigue, chest and joint pain on October 24, followed by nosebleeding three days later. He subsequently developed a generalised body rash on October 29 while receiving treatment at an isolation and treatment unit.
Blood samples initially tested negative for Ebola, but further testing using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed yellow fever virus infection, the ministry said. The patient died on November 1.
The ministry said it had activated an emergency response in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and other health partners to investigate the case and prevent further transmission.
It further said a multidisciplinary team comprising clinicians, epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, health promotion specialists and entomologists has been deployed to Morobo to conduct active case searches and contact tracing in Okaba village and Gulumbi Payam.
The investigation will also include reviews of health facility records to identify people with similar symptoms in the preceding two to three weeks, collection of blood samples for testing and mosquito sampling to assess possible local transmission.
The ministry said it would assess community knowledge and practices to inform targeted vaccination campaigns and strengthen cross-border surveillance with health authorities in neighbouring areas of the DRC.
Yellow fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease that can cause fever, jaundice and severe bleeding in serious cases.
The ministry urged residents to use mosquito nets, eliminate mosquito breeding sites and seek immediate medical attention if they develop fever, yellowing of the eyes, dark urine or unusual bleeding. Suspected cases can also be reported through the national toll-free hotline, 6666.
and then