Yellow fever is common in Africa, South and Central America but surprisingly not in Asia. Why it is not found in Asia is inexplicable though racial resistance is suspected. Epidemic outbreaks have occurred from time to time in the past in Sudan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria and the Gambia. For Nigerians who travel to Central and South America, the disease is found in Honduras, parts of Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador.
Yellow fever is a notifiable disease and certain countries still insist on yellow vaccination for travelers from countries where the disease is common before entry.
Yellow fever affects man and monkeys and can spread from monkeys to man.
A full recovery from an infection confers lifelong immunity.
You can avoid Yellow fever in the following ways:
1. Vaccination
Prevention on personal basis is by vaccination. A vaccination against yellow fever gives protection for about 10 years effective after 10 days of the vaccination.
2. Use of Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets
Use of mosquito net is also helpful as the virus is present in the blood of the infected person in the first few days of being ill and so can be picked up by the mosquito; in fact the sick person is nursed within a mosquito-netted environment.
No mosquito bite, no yellow fever.
3. Regular Spraying of your home; inside and outside
Regular fumigation of your home reduces the mosquito population in your
house, this is called Indoor Residual Spraying. The outside of the building
should also be sprayed.
This should be done every three months but it is expensive. The Local
Government Council usually has a unit that does the spraying at affordable
cost.
No mosquitoes, no yellow fever
4. Use of wire meshing on windows and doors.
Wire meshing on windows and doors prevents mosquitoes from entering the
house but you could be bitten by them if you went out not properly dressed.
No mosquito bite, no yellow fever.
5. Use of full-length clothes in the evening/night.
Wearing full-length clothes in the evening and night saves you from
mosquito bites; trousers and long sleeved shirts.
No mosquito bite, no yellow fever.
6. Proper Management of your environment
Managing your environment can reduce the number of mosquitoes around you.
If allowed, cover the drainages around your home. All possible containers
of static water must be removed from the premises, this includes used
tyres, broken bottles, tins, and any other materials that can retain water.
This is meant to prevent the growth of mosquitoes.
No mosquitoes, no yellow fever
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