Hello again everyone! Okay, so I know we have been talking about Covid-19 a lot recently because it is a pandemic and all over the headlines. I feel like every time I open up the news I see so many articles about Covid-19 and new information regarding it coming out. It is very important that there is a focus on Covid-19 and that research right now and I am glad that there is some progress being made. But, I must say, I am reminded of the virus everyday just by being stuck in my house! It is not the best feeling having this isolation and then seeing all the bad news about new cases and deaths every time I read the news. It is important to get some distance from it all and realize that there are other things happening in the world including other outbreaks of different diseases. So today, I am going to discuss a little about the yellow fever outbreak in the Republic of South Sudan.
I did some research about yellow fever in South Sudan using information from The World Health Organization. They said that there has been some outbreaks of yellow fever in the past in this area, the last one being in 2018. As of March of this year, there were only two confirmed cases of yellow fever in South Sudan but there were more in neighboring countries and there is a large population of the mosquito species that carry the virus that live in that area. Although there are only two cases, the health officials have to be proactive so that the disease does not spread further infecting and potentially killing people in South Sudan. There has been a plan to do another vaccination campaign for yellow fever like what has been done in the past to protect people from the disease. It is important to monitor this situation and be proactive so that there is not a big outbreak, especially because there will be more mosquitoes in the coming months and interaction between people who are in areas with higher infection rates.
According to the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers, they have made it mandatory for all people travelling to South Sudan to receive the Yellow Fever vaccine. Not only is this vaccine important to keep travelers safe from the illness, but it is also important that as many people as possible are vaccinated in that area to reduce transmission between people, locals and travelers alike. When vaccinated you will also get a certificate saying that you have been vaccinated so that the authorities know you have immunity to the virus now. This Yellow Fever outbreak prevention that is happening in South Sudan is important because there still needs to be a focus on and resources for other diseases in the world. Just because Covid-19 has had a big impact on the world, doesn’t mean that all the other diseases are eradicated. I think a lot is happening in the world outside of Covid-19 from yellow fever in South Sudan to Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is important, in my opinion, to not forget about these other diseases and to continue to supply them with funding and resources so that the prevalence of these diseases can continue to decrease.
Thanks for reading and I’ll try to keep you guys updated about all the health news regarding Covid-19 and other diseases in the world right now. See you next time!
Microbiology 