Description of the situation
10 October 2003
Disease Outbreak Reported
WHO has received reports of an outbreak of yellow fever in the district of Gaoua in the southwest of the country, near the border of Côte d'Ivoire. One case has been laboratory confirmed by Centre Muraz, Burkina Faso and by the WHO Collaborating Center for Yellow Fever, the Institut Pasteur, Dakar, Senegal. Additional samples are being tested.
A team from the Ministry of Health and WHO quickly investigated the outbreak. The Crisis Committee of Gaoua met and a rapid vaccination campaign was carried out covering all those more than 6 months old living in a 20 kilometre area around Gaoua. Surveillance has been intensified.