Yellow fever is a viral disease that is spread by mosquitoes. The disease gets the name from one of the symptoms that occur in serious cases where the skin becomes yellow in colour, also called jaundice. This disease attacks the liver, and it can lead to serious illness and even death.
The mosquito that is responsible for spreading yellow fever is majorly native to Africa, Central and South America. Around 2,00,000 cases of yellow fever are reported annually and out of these cases, at least 30,000 cases end up being fatal.
Mild stage one symptoms start showing up after 6 days of infection:
Toxic stage two symptoms are displayed by 25% of victims and they include:
Out of all the yellow fever victims who reach stage two, half of them will die within a span of 10-14 days.
Yellow fever is a virus spread between monkeys and humans by mosquito species namely – Aedes and Haemagogus in urban locations and tropical rainforests.
How do you prevent yellow fever:
1. Get a yellow fever vaccination
The vaccination that is available for yellow fever is almost 100% effective. Before travelling to infected areas, get yourself vaccinated for yellow fever from your local doctor.
2. Use home insect repellents
Protect yourself from mosquitoes by using insect repellents.
3. Avoid mosquito bites
Certain countries can restrict your entry if you have recently spent time overnight in yellow fever declared country and cannot present a yellow fever vaccination certificate.
There is no cure for yellow fever and the treatment offered is to alleviate the symptoms.
