Travellers to Yellow Fever Endemic Countries Advised to Get Vaccinated

The Ministry of Health (MOH) advises travellers to receive vaccination against yellow fever at least ten days before travelling to yellow fever endemic countries.

2. MOH is issuing this reminder as Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo are currently experiencing large outbreaks of the disease. We also expect more travellers to Rio de Janerio, Brazil in August 2016 for the Summer Olympic Games. While Rio de Janerio itself is not endemic for Yellow Fever, the majority of the states in Brazil are yellow fever endemic. (Please refer to Annex A for the list of yellow fever endemic countries in whole or in part.)

3. Yellow fever is a mosquito borne acute viral haemorrhagic disease caused by the yellow fever virus. It is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, similar to dengue and Zika virus infection. The majority of the infected persons are asymptomatic or have only mild illness. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, joint aches, loss of appetite and nausea or vomiting.

4. Vaccination is the most effective preventive measure against yellow fever. The vaccine confers lifelong protection against the disease ten days after vaccination. A booster dose is not required.

5. Although there are as yet no reported cases of yellow fever in Singapore, any importation of the disease risks the disease taking root here due to the presence of the Aedes mosquito vector.

Health Advisory

6. A person may receive life-long protection against yellow fever through vaccination. Yellow fever vaccination is available at more than 100 GP clinics in Singapore, as well as travel health clinics at public and private hospitals. The list of clinics that provide yellow fever vaccination can be found at http://hcidirectory.sg/hcidirectory/#.1

7. Travellers especially those who cannot be vaccinated on medical grounds should protect themselves from mosquito bites by wearing long, covered clothing, applying insect repellent, and sleeping under mosquito nets or in rooms with wire-mesh screens to keep out mosquitoes. They should seek medical attention promptly if they develop symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, headache, shivers, loss of appetite, and nausea or vomiting.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

17 MAY 2016

1 As the list is updated regularly, we advise the public to check the list before visiting a clinic, and call the clinic before visiting. To access the list of clinics that offer yellow fever vaccination, select “Yellow Fever Vaccination” under the search options.

Annex A

List of Yellow Fever Endemic Countries

(in whole or in part)

Africa

Angola

Benin

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cameroon

Central African Republic

Chad

Congo

Côte d’Ivoire

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Equatorial Guinea

Ethiopia

Gabon

Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Kenya

Liberia

Mauritania

Mali

Niger

Nigeria

Rwanda

Senegal

Sierra Leone

Sudan

South Sudan

Togo

Uganda

Latin America

Argentina

Bolivia

Brazil

Colombia

Ecuador

French Guiana

Guyana

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Suriname

Trinidad and Tobago

Venezuela