South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Benjamin Takpiny
The national ministry of health on Saturday declared outbreak of hemorrhagic yellow fever in Yambio town of Western Equatoria State and other surrounding areas.
The national minister of health Yolanda Awel Deng Juach told journalists in Juba, that the first case of yellow fever was detected in an 18-year-old male patient of Kangura village in Gangura payam on 21st December 2023.
Deng said the patient had developed symptoms of generalized body weakness, headache, epigastric discomfort, fever and vomiting of blood and jaundice.
She said that the patient had previously received antibiotic treatment elsewhere without improvement before appearing with symptoms of yellow fever at Gangura Primary Healthcare Center.
Deng noted that the results of the sample collected from the case patient and tested at the National Public Health Laboratory on 24th December 2023 and later at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) confirmed yellow fever infection.
The ministry of health has activated the National Public Health Emergency Operations Center in Juba and other Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) fronts to conduct massive surveillance and research.
“Differential testing using Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) for Ebola and Marburg viruses was negative. Further differential testing for other diseases is currently ongoing,” said Deng.
“A team of experts from national, subnational, World Health Organization (WHO) and partners were mobilized to conduct a detailed field investigation, active case search, community mobilization and sensitization in Gangura area and its surrounding areas,” she added.
Deng advised the general public and travelers to get vaccinated for yellow fever and practice preventive measures as the country waits for yellow fever vaccines to arrive.
“Travelers are urged to comply with this travel requirement to ensure that the risk of spread of Yellow fever through international travel is minimized and the populations are advised to always sleep under a mosquito net,” said Deng.
She further disclosed that the ministry of health has activated the Public Health Emergency Operation Center (PHEOC) to response mode to facilitate a coordinated response.
Deng added that the ministry of health with support from WHO has applied to the International Coordination Group (ICG) that manages the Global Stockpiles of the Yellow Fever vaccines .
“We anticipate that in the next few weeks, yellow fever vaccines will be available and vaccination will commence in Yambio and the surrounding counties to contain spread of the virus,” said Deng.
She encouraged the general public to report any suspected cases to the nearest health facility or using the call center hotline number (6666).
“The ministry of health re-emphasizes its call to the public to cooperate with officials during the investigation and response to the outbreak and also would like to re-assure the South Sudanese and all other residents that with the experience and available expertise in the country, this yellow fever outbreak will be contained,” said Deng.
