Kenya issues new rules to stop possible spread of yellow fever

The Kenyan government has issued new guidelines for visitors arriving from Angola and other countries where yellow fever outbreak has been reported.

The Ministry of Health said the increased surveillance was meant to prevent the spread of the disease after two cases were confirmed two weeks ago. They involved two Kenyans who had travelled from Angola.

The new measures require that all travellers from Angola must present yellow fever vaccination certificates issued within 10 days prior to the date of travel.

Acting director of Medical Services Jackson Kioko said all travellers will also be subjected to thorough check-ups as part of measures to contain the spread of the viral disease.

According to the new guidelines, Kenyans planning to go to Angola will also have to be vaccinated 10 days before the actual travel date. Kenyans without a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate will be denied exit.

“Travellers from Angola, who are Kenyan citizens or residents and do not have a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate will be isolated and held at the point of entry until tests are completed,” read the guidelines.

In East Africa, only Tanzania demands proof of vaccination against yellow fever from visitors upon arrival at the airport.

In Africa, Tanzania, South Africa require a valid yellow fever certificate from all citizens and non-citizens (over one year of age) travelling from a yellow fever risk country.

High risk countries

Vaccination certificates are routinely checked at points of entry for travellers arriving from countries designated as high risk for yellow fever transmission. Persons who have been in transit exceeding 12 hours through the airport of a country with high risk of yellow fever transmission are also required to produce proof of vaccination upon arrival.

Travellers with an exemption certificate due to medical reasons will be allowed entry, but will be placed under quarantine and/or will be required to report any fever or other symptoms to health authorities.

In South Africa, if a traveller is unable to produce a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate at the point of entry, entry is denied and the traveller is placed under quarantine until they are vaccinated.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines require countries at risk of yellow fever to obtain vaccination certificates from individuals travelling from areas determined by the WHO to be at risk of the disease transmission; disinfect aircraft, ships, tyre-casing consignments and other modes of transportation coming from a risk area.

In January 2015, the WHO conducted a review of countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Zambia, Tanzania, Eritrea, Somalia, São Tomé and Prìncipe were classified as low-risk countries.

WHO also recommended that travellers from these countries should not be required to produce a proof of vaccination certificate against yellow fever upon arrival at countries at risk for the disease.

Last week, Kenyan health authorities raised an alert after a second yellow fever case was confirmed in a man who had been living in Angola for more than 10 years.

An earlier case involved a man who died at the Kenyatta National Hospital three days after arriving from Angola, where he had lived for more than 10 years.

Health workers in the country are have been directed to take precautions and isolate any patient suspected to have the viral disease before referring them to hospitals with the capacity to handle such cases.

Up to 250 people have died from yellow fever in Angola since late December last year, when the first case was detected