Yellow fever reported in Democratic Republic of Congo, mass vaccination campaign to commence in one week
A total of 139 suspected, probable and confirmed cases of yellow fever, including 6 death were reported in the North and in the South of Democratic Republic of Congo beginning in March, which has prompted a reactive mass vaccination campaign that is planned for 1 May 2014.
Photo/CDC-James Gathany
According to a World Health Organization alert, six laboratory-confirmed cases with yellow fever virus infection were reported. Of these, 3 were from Bondo health zone, Orientale Province, 2 from Buta health zone, Orientale Province and 1 from Kikondja health zone, Katanga Province.
The index case, a 40-year-old man from Bondo district became ill with fever and jaundice on 10 December 2013. His yellow fever vaccination status is not known. Laboratory confirmation was conducted by the Institute National of Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa, which showed IgM positive by ELISA test. Reconfirmation of the laboratory test was conducted by the regional reference laboratory for yellow fever at the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal with a more specific test for yellow fever (plaque reduction neutralization test or PRNT), with exclusion of exclusion of other arbovirus.
Preliminary outbreak investigations revealed that in Bondo and the health district of Buta, at least 116 suspected cases were reported. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page.
In Kikondja district, the index case was a 19 year-old woman reported by the Health Center of Ntwadi on 17 February 2014. The case was laboratory-confirmed by INRB and IP Dakar. Following identification of the index case, an outbreak investigation was conducted in 3 villages, Katongue, Kimbuvu and Lukila, where 23 suspected cases were identified.
International Coordinating Group on Yellow Fever Vaccine Provision (YF-ICG2), approved the provision of 559 876 doses of yellow fever vaccine and operational costs for a reactive mass vaccination campaign.
