The number of suspected yellow fever cases in Minas Gerais in 2017 has risen to 48.
The number of people suspected of having yellow fever in Minas Gerais rose from 23 to 48 in the first days of 2017; of the total cases, 16 are probable cases of the disease, whose patients presented with suspicious clinical symptoms and whose first test result was positive for the virus; the bulletin was released by the state's Health Department; among the suspected cases of yellow fever, 14 suspected deaths were reported, eight of which also had a first positive test for the virus.
The number of people suspected of having yellow fever in Minas Gerais rose from 23 to 48 in the first days of 2017. Of the total records, 16 are probable cases of the disease, whose patients presented a suspected clinical picture and the result of an initial test was positive for the virus. The bulletin was released this Wednesday (11) by the State Health Department.
Among the suspected cases of yellow fever, 14 suspected deaths were reported, eight of which also had an initial positive test for the virus.
The government of Minas Gerais, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, announced measures adopted in response to disease outbreaks, such as home vaccination and changing the minimum age for immunization from nine months to six months. The recommendation is that everyone living in the state should get vaccinated against the disease.
In Brazil, the yellow fever virus is transmitted by wild mosquitoes. The initial symptoms of the disease are chills, headache, back pain, general body aches, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, and weakness. In severe cases, the person may develop high fever, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), hemorrhage, and eventually shock and multiple organ failure. The mortality rate in severe stages reaches 20% to 50% of those infected.