Thousands tourists who prepare to participate to carnival in Brazil are vaccinating in Argentina. The health emergency will be in place for six months and will allow local authorities to commission special services and buy in emergency materials. The WHO also recommended that travelers to Sao Paulo state get a yellow fever vaccine before visiting.
Yellow fever is caused by a virus that is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. Most people recover after the first phase of infection that usually involves fever, muscle and back pain, headache, shivers, loss of appetite, and nausea or vomiting but about 15% of people face a second, more serious phase involving high fever, jaundice, bleeding and deteriorating kidney function. Half of those usually die within 10 to 14 days. Brazilian Health Minister Antonio Nardi responded by saying that most people attending Brazil’s carnival celebrations in February should be safe as they are held in large cities and not the rural and forested areas which have seen the biggest increase in yellow fever cases.
