Dengue fever and yellow fever outbreaks in Brazil
Thursday, 10 Apr 2008 09:59
There is a serious outbreak of dengue fever in Rio de Janeiro province and an outbreak of yellow fever in Brazil, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has warned.
In the first three months of 2008 over 32,000 cases of dengue fever have been reported.
The disease is endemic to Latin America and there is no vaccine available so travellers should take care to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes by using mosquito repellent and covering up with suitable clothing.
Symptoms of dengue fever usually begin seven to ten days after being bitten and include high fever with aching joints and bones and a headache.
Foreign nationals are entitled to unforeseen emergency medical treatment in Brazilian hospitals and travellers should consult a doctor if they develop the above symptoms.
The FCO also notes that travellers should bring their own mosquito repellent as it is currently in short supply in Rio de Janeiro.
There have been 40 confirmed cases of yellow fever in Brazil in the first three months of 2008 and 20 of those people have died.
Distrito Federal, Goias, Mato Grosso do Sol and Parana are the Brazilian states that have been primarily affected.
Travellers should be vaccinated for yellow fever at least ten days before visiting these areas.