Are there cases of yellow fever in Antioquia? Eye to what you should know and where to get vaccinated

This week, the Colombian Health system has been on alert due to yellow fever outbreak which has been presented in the country so far this year.

This Monday, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection published the decree that He left the health emergency For this viral infection that, according to the last report made by this entity, has 79 confirmed cases between September 2024 and last weekend. Of these, 36 have been mortal.

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Although the department most affected by this outbreak is Tolima – where 64 cases and 24 deaths have been reported – other regions of the country are taking prevention measures against yellow fever.

So far, this infection has been recorded in 9 departments. Antioquia, meanwhile, is one of those who has not had any positive cases of yellow fever. “In Antioquia since 1997 there is no positive case of yellow fever, so we must generate a part of tranquility for the community in general,” says Dionisia Yusti Rivas, Undersecretary of Public Health of the department.

However, the fact that there is no presence of this disease does not mean that people should not be alert to symptoms and put into practice the recommendations of experts.

Yellow fever is a virus transmitted by Aedes Aegypti and Aedes Albopictus mosquitoes. The most common symptoms are High fever, headache and muscle, nausea and vomiting. In some cases, infected people can also present jaundice – yellow skin of the skin – and bleeding. In case of having any of these symptoms you must consult in the nearest health center.

To prevent this disease, the main indication shared by the Ministry of Health and the Department Ministry of Health is to approach the vaccination points. The biological against yellow fever consists of a single dose that protects throughout life.

Generally, this vaccine is applied for the first time at 18 months. However, due to the outbreak, the immunization age was extended to be used From 9 months to 59 years.

According to figures from the Secretariat, from January to April 18, In Antioquia, 35,000 doses of the yellow fever vaccine have been applied. Immunization is free and in the department there are several vaccination points enabled by the departmental administration. In Medellín, these are located in the terminals south and north, and at Enrique Olaya Herrera airport. The schedule of attention is from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

In Turbo and Necoclí, municipalities located in the Urabá Antioqueño, people can also be vaccinated in the Transport terminals.

In Rionegro there are vaccines available in the San Juan de Dios Hospital Headquarters Gilberto Mejía Mejía and at José María Córdova airport. In the other sub -regions of the department, the yellow fever vaccine is available in the different IPS.

It is estimated that this disease affects approximately 200.000 personasof which 30,000 die.

At the end of March, the Pan American Health Organization (WHO) issued an epidemiological alert due to the increase in yellow fever cases in Latin America. In the first three months of 2025 131 have been registered in the regionwhile in all 2024 only 61 were presented. Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia They are the countries where the virus has made presence this year.

The main recommendation of PAHO was to increase vaccination campaigns in the most affected areas and with a higher level of risk, since immunization is the most effective way to prevent this disease.