WHO reports of yellow fever case linked to local mosquito in DRC

The World Health Organization has reported of a Yellow Fever case which originated from a local mosquito in Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa.

This would be the first direct case of the disease in the country given that most of those reported earlier were believed to have been imported into the country.

#YellowFever vaccination in Kinshasa & Kongo Central provinces, #DRC reaches >1,9 million https://t.co/FujipOqhpH pic.twitter.com/VERtFRVF1E

— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) June 7, 2016

The global health outfit had commenced a mass immunization effort in the country on 26 May 2016, following the outbreak of the deadly disease believed to have been imported form neighbouring Angola.

The immunization aimed to cover about 2 million people in the zones lying at the border with Angola but excluded pregnant women and children below nine months.

According to WHO, as of 2 June 2016, close to 2 million people had been vaccinated against Yellow Fever in the provinces of Kinshasa and Kongo Central.

Earlier on Wednesday, WHO said some 10.5 million people out of targeted 13.3 million have been vaccinated against Yellow Fever in hardest hit Angola.

10,5 million people out of targeted 13,3 million have been vaccinated against #YellowFever in #Angola. pic.twitter.com/pOqcL6z99O

— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) June 8, 2016

‘‘Many people have rushed to get vaccinated including many people from districts that were not targeted for vaccination. This is good news because it means people understand the importance of vaccination,’‘ the WHO website reports.

WHO were quick to reiterate its call for concerted efforts by WHO and partners and manufacturers, to restock increasingly falling global vaccine stocks.

Seven people in the Congo Central region have lost their lives as reported by different hospitals in the province.