No yellow fever in Jamaica - MOH

The Health Ministry is rejecting claims being circulated on social media of yellow fever in Jamaica.

Yellow fever is an acute illness caused by the yellow fever virus, which is found in the tropics of South America and Africa.

The virus is transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes, such as the aedes aegypti, the same vector that transmits the chikungunya, dengue and zika viruses.

In the meantime, the ministry says it continues to heighten its mosquito control activities island-wide.

Yellow Fever is a Class 1 notifiable disease, which means it is to be reported to the Ministry of Health within 24 hours on suspicion by a healthcare professional.

To prevent the importation of the yellow fever virus into Jamaica where the disease does not occur, but where the mosquito vector and human hosts are present, vaccination against yellow fever is required for Jamaicans travelling overseas to destinations that are reported by the World Health Organisation as countries at risk for yellow fever transmission.

The Ministry of Health also says it undertakes surveillance at the ports of entry in respect of persons arriving from these destinations.

Yellow fever vaccines are available and administered at the Comprehensive Health Centre in Kingston and at the Montego Bay Type 5 Health Centre in St. James. 

The vaccine should be administered at least 10 days prior to travel.

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