Yellow fever is a tropical disease caused by the yellow fever virus. The virus is transmitted by tropical mosquitoes. An outbreak of this disease always occurs via the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti). Yellow fever only occurs in certain tropical regions of Africa and South America. The symptoms can vary greatly, from mild flu to high fever with bleeding.
It can also cause liver damage. The Public Health Office (BOG) therefore offers citizens the opportunity to get vaccinated against yellow fever free of charge. This project, which started on June 10, will last until June 30. The vaccination locations are the BOG, the selected polyclinics of the Regional Health Service and the Medical Mission.
Vaccination against yellow fever is necessary to prevent this infectious disease from entering Suriname. BOG director Radjesh Orie tells the Suriname Communications Service that it is crucial that Surinamese society has a high level of coverage against the infectious disease. Especially in view of the current developments of high infections with the virus in neighboring countries and other countries in South America. “Due to the ongoing corona pandemic, all other vaccinations with the exception of the various corona vaccines have declined.
The agency has a large stock of yellow fever vaccines, over 30,000. These must be used properly,” the BOG director says. One dose of vaccination is good for lifelong immunity. Almost all tropical countries ask for a yellow fever vaccination certificate, the well-known yellow booklet published by the World Health Organization (WHO).
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