Luanda - At least 51 people are feared to have died of yellow fever from December 30, 2015 to February 11 this year in Angola.
The information was released Friday in Luanda by the national director of Public Health of the Health Ministry, who said the above number is part of the 240 suspect cases reported in the period in respect.
Adelaide de Carvalho was speaking at a “Coffee of Ideas” meeting with journalists intended to inform the media professionals about the ongoing yellow fever prevention and combat measures.
According to the official, the municipality of Viana, Luanda, is the most affected by the disease, with 92 suspect cases and 29 deaths, followed by southern Huíla province with 30 cases and six deaths.
She said 33 cases and 11 deaths have been reported over the last 24 hours, with Viana leading with eight cases and six deaths.
"We are experiencing a case of epidemic and any person is liable of contracting the disease. The direction is vaccinating the pregnant women above three months of pregnancy, in order to protect the child,” she stressed.
According to Adelaide de Carvalho, 451,266 people have been vaccinated against yellow fever in Luanda, out of the planned 1.8 million.
She stated that the vaccine is the most effective prevention as one dose alone grants immunity for the whole life.
The official said that 1,700 teams are needed to speed up the vaccination and rapidly reduce the spread of the disease.
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