A small town in Brazil, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, has placed itself in a state of maximum alert after the death of a man suffering from yellow fever. The authorities are also investigating several other possible cases.
The authorities confirmed that Watila Santos, 38, died on 11 March.
One of his neighbors, Alessandro Valenca Couto, is also suffering from the disease. He is currently hospitalized in Rio de Janeiro.
Mr. Santos’s relatives, including children aged 13 and 9 respectively, are under medical supervision.
A large tent was erected in downtown Casimiro de Abreu, about 150 km from Rio de Janeiro to administer vaccines. According to the authorities, about 30,000 of the 42,000 inhabitants of the municipality were inoculated.
Yellow fever is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes. It can cause bouts of fever, vomiting, abdominal pain and sometimes jaundice. The Ministry of Health of the State of Rio de Janeiro announced its intention to vaccinate the entire population as a preventive measure. She said she needed 12 million doses to reach a 90% vaccination rate by the end of the year.
According to the Brazilian Ministry of Health, yellow fever has hit at least 424 people. This is the largest epidemic in Brazil for several years. Among the victims, 137 died. The authorities are investigating more than 900 other possible cases across the country.
