Brazilian Yellow Fever Outbreak Kills 40, Authorities Order 11.5 million Vaccines

Brazil's health ministry has ordered 11.5 million doses of yellow fever vaccine amid the largest outbreak of the disease in the country since 2000.

Seventy cases - including 40 deaths - are confirmed, mostly in rural areas of the state of Minas Gerais. More than 300 cases are under investigation. Vaccinations are being recommended for people travelling to Minas and other areas with confirmed cases. Yellow fever is a potentially fatal disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Most of Brazil is considered at risk from yellow fever but the country has only seen a handful of cases in recent years.

   What is yellow fever?

THE WHO ADVISES THAT PEOPLE GET A VACCINE AT LEAST 10 DAYS BEFORE TRAVELLING TO A YELLOW-FEVER AREA

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• Caused by a virus that is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes
• Difficult to diagnose and often confused with other diseases or fevers
• Most people recover after the first phase of infection that usually involves fever, muscle and back pain, headache, shivers, loss of appetite, and nausea or vomiting
• About 15% of people face a second, more serious phase involving high fever, jaundice, bleeding and deteriorating kidney function
• Half of those who enter the "toxic" phase usually die within 10 to 14 days

Source: WHO