610,000 Individuals Receiving Yellow Fever Vaccine in South Sudan

In response to the yellow fever outbreak in late 2023, the Republic of South Sudan's Ministry of Health announced today that it has initiated a reactive yellow fever vaccination campaign as a preventive response intervention.

As of February 3, 2024, 48 suspected and two confirmed yellow fever cases were reported from Yambio, Nzara, Tambura, Ibba, Ezo, and Maridi Counties of Western Equatoria State.

"To address the (yellow fever) outbreak, a multidisciplinary team of epidemiologists, public health officers, entomologists, laboratory specialists, and risk communication experts conducted an extensive epidemiological investigation to characterize the extent of the outbreak, identify risk/exposure factors, and implement control and prevention measures," stated Honourable Yolanda Awel Deng, Minister of Health in a press release.

Targeting approximately 610 000 individuals aged nine months to 65 years in Yambio, Tambura Ezo, Ibba, and Maridi, the vaccination campaign utilizes doses secured from the Global emergency yellow fever vaccine stockpile of the International Coordination Group on Vaccine Provision.

Dr Humphrey Karamagi, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative for South Sudan, emphasized on February 13, 2024, "The yellow fever vaccination campaign aligns with the global strategy to Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics by 2026."

"This reactive measure aims to protect high-risk populations and act as a bridge towards integrating the yellow fever vaccine into routine immunization systems."

About 80 million yellow vaccine doses are produced annually. In the U.S., the YF-VAX® vaccine is licensed and available in 2024.

According to the WHO, yellow fever is a vaccine-preventable acute viral hemorrhagic disease that poses a significant public health threat. Characterized by symptoms such as fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue, the disease can lead to severe complications, with approximately half of patients succumbing within 7 to 10 days.

As of February 2024, the WHO says about forty-seven countries in Africa and the Americas are either endemic to or have regions endemic to yellow fever. Upon arrival, various countries require visitors to prove they have been vaccinated against yellow fever. 

The U.S. recognized South Sudan as a sovereign, independent state on July 9, 2011, following its secession from Sudan.

Currently, the U.S. Department of State says, 'Do not travel to South Sudan due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict, as the U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in South Sudan.'