Yellow fever death toll hits 99 in Angola

Luanda, Feb 22: An ongoing yellow fever epidemic in Angola has killed 99 people out of 462 suspected cases since December 30, statistics showed today, despite government attempts to quell the outbreak.

The centre of the health crisis is the capital Luanda's eastern suburb of Viana where 29 dead out of 173 suspected cases have been reported, according to the health ministry.

There is no specific treatment for yellow fever, a viral hemorrhagic disease which is transmitted by infected mosquitoes and found in tropical regions of Africa and Latin America's Amazon region.

Authorities launched a mass vaccination campaign earlier this month. The government has also appealed to residents to sterilise stagnant water before drinking it.

Yellow fever vaccinations are routinely recommended for travellers to Angola, though the country had not previously seen a significant outbreak since 1986.

AFP