By Jenifer James
South Sudan’s Ministry of Health has confirmed a fatal case of Yellow Fever in Morobo County, Central Equatoria State. A 48-year-old farmer died from the disease after a recent trip to the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Ministry reported that the deceased, a resident of Okaba village in Gulumbi Payam, had traveled to Ariwara in the DRC approximately two weeks before showing symptoms.
The patient experienced fever, headache, fatigue, chest pain, and joint pain on October 24, 2026, before suffering from nosebleeds on October 27.
While receiving treatment in an isolation unit, he developed a generalized body rash on October 29. Initial laboratory investigations ruled out Ebola, as two separate samples tested negative for the disease.
However, further testing using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed the presence of the Yellow Fever virus.
In response, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa CDC, and other health partners, has activated emergency measures to investigate the case and prevent potential local transmission.
A multidisciplinary technical team, including clinicians, epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, health promotion experts, and entomologists, has been dispatched to Morobo County.
The team will conduct active case searches and contact tracing in Okaba village and Gulumbi Payam to identify individuals who may exhibit similar symptoms.
They will also review health facility records from the past two to three weeks and collect additional blood samples to determine if the virus is circulating within the community.
Other response measures include collecting mosquito samples to assess potential local transmission, documenting community knowledge and practices to inform possible emergency vaccination campaigns, and enhancing cross-border surveillance with health authorities in the DRC.
The Ministry has urged residents of Morobo County and the public to remain vigilant and take preventive measures against mosquito bites.
“Yellow Fever is transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes,” the Ministry stated.
It recommended that communities use mosquito nets, eliminate breeding sites, and seek immediate medical attention for anyone displaying symptoms such as fever, yellowing of the eyes, dark or tea-colored urine, or unusual bleeding.
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