The Ministry of Health for Zanzibar has requested that all local and international tour operators be informed that a valid International Certificate of Vaccination to prevent yellow fever is required.  This will have to be shown at points of entry to the country i.e. airports, seaports and borders. This request is felt necessary for the safety of tourists owing to the large outbreak of yellow fever that is ongoing in northern Uganda where 226 cases and 53 deaths have been recorded. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office recommend all travelers have the vaccine at a registered yellow fever centre here in the UK, to be sure that travellers will not be vaccinated on arrival. This is a recommendation- not mandatory but is for all travellers’ safety.

 Yellow fever has been a source of several devastating epidemics and is endemic in ten countries in South America and over 30 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It is thought that there is a great degree of under-reporting of this disease.  The World Health Organization estimates that there are approximately 200,000 cases of yellow fever per year, with 30,000 deaths.  Yellow fever (also called yellow jack, black vomit or vomito negro, or sometimes American Plague) is an acute viral disease. It is an important cause of haemorrhagic illness in many African and South American countries despite existence of an effective vaccine. The yellow refers to the jaundice symptoms that affect some patients.

The yellow fever vaccine is very effective and safe, although there have been a few reports of rare adverse events associated with the vaccine. Yellow fever vaccine is an entry requirement for some countries, but it is advised that travellers to yellow fever endemic areas should be vaccinated even if there is no specific requirement.