Mass vaccination campaign against yellow fever

UN agencies and partners are planning to vaccinate half a million people against yellow fever in rebel-held areas of southern Sudan, following an outbreak in Eastern Equatoria last month. "The epidemic is so far under control, but we're not being complacent. We're making sure to continue with an enlarged [vaccination] plan to stop it," Ben Parker, the spokesman for the UN humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, told IRIN on Friday. A new shipment of vaccines had arrived in Kenya and it was hoped that by mid-July the enlarged campaign would be well under way, he said. So far, 24,000 people in Imotong, Ikotos and Tsertenya, in Torit county, have been vaccinated. Last week, only seven new cases were confirmed and four deaths, but unconfirmed reports were still being received about new cases and deaths around Ikotos, said Parker. The World Health Organisation, the UN Children's Fund, Norwegian Church Aid and local authorities plan to extend the campaign from Torit county to neighbouring Magwi and Budi. A parallel campaign is being planned for government-held areas in the region, such as the garrison town of Torit. A separate campaign was due to start in the Turkana region of northern Kenya by the end of June, Parker added, due to the threat of the virus spreading from Sudan. Ugandan authorities were also considering a similar initiative, he said. All travellers to southern Sudan are being advised to obtain a yellow fever vaccination.