Jamaicans urged to get yellow fever vaccine before travelling to endemic countries

Jamaicans planning to visit countries where yellow fever is endemic are urged to get vaccinated before travelling.

This advice comes from Acting Senior Medical Officer of Health for Kingston and St Andrew, Dr Susan Strachan-Johnson, following an eightfold increase in yellow fever cases across the Americas during the first five months of 2025.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued a Rapid Risk Assessment (RRA) on May 23, reporting 221 confirmed cases of yellow fever across multiple countries, including 89 deaths.

Yellow fever is endemic to 44 countries, primarily in Africa and South America, including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

PAHO also emphasised the need to enhance surveillance and communication strategies to ensure effective public health guidance for travellers visiting endemic areas where vaccination is recommended.

Speaking to reporters during a tour of the Slipe Pen Road Comprehensive Health Centre in Kingston recently, the Acting Senior Medical Officer informed that while yellow fever is not endemic to Jamaica, the country has the vector that transmits the disease.

Yellow fever is transmitted through the bite of an infective Aedes aegypti mosquito, which acquires the virus by feeding on an infected human.

"So for persons who are travelling to endemic areas, like South America [and] some places on the African continent, we recommend that they get a yellow fever vaccine," Dr. Strachan-Johnson underscored.

She indicated that the vaccine is offered at the Slipe Pen Road Comprehensive Health Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays at a subsidised cost of $1,500.

Persons in western Jamaica can access the vaccine at the Montego Bay Type V Clinic in St James.

Strachan-Johnson emphasised the importance of self-monitoring for symptoms by travellers who suspect exposure during their trips.

"The symptoms of yellow fever are very similar to the other mosquito-borne illnesses. So, you will have fever, malaise or feeling very tired, muscle pain, eye pain, et cetera. The issue with yellow fever is that, later on in the illness, probably about a week or so, you will have the development of significant complications which can lead to death," she said.

Dr Strachan-Johnson further pointed out that the disease has a mortality rate of 40-50 per cent, underscoring the importance of preventing its introduction to the country.

According to the Ministry of Health and Wellness, yellow fever is classified as a Class I notifiable disease, requiring all suspected cases to be reported to the parish health department within 24 hours for investigation and preventive measures.

- JIS

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