Photo by Chensiyuan
Starting last December, in Brazil’s summer, an outbreak of Yellow Fever began.
Per CNN, “The current yellow fever outbreak began in December, in rural areas of Brazil, and numbers reportedly exceed normal rates for this time of year.”
Even though no cases had been reported in Rio de Jainero, they took precautions by vaccinating people with the Yellow Fever Vaccine.
DW reports, “The Rio de Janeiro Health Department said in a statement that it aimed to vaccinate the state’s population by the end of the year ‘as a preventative measure.’”
There is a fear that Yellow Fever could spread to the United States, like the Zika virus did.
NBC 2 states, “Yellow fever outbreaks are happening in parts of Brazil, and the fear is that, much like the Zika virus, it could spread to the United States.”
Although it’s unlikely for yellow fever outbreaks to occur in the United States through mosquito transmission, it is possible for travelers to Brazil to catch yellow fever.
Per CNN, “While the likelihood of yellow fever outbreaks in the US is low, ‘travel-related cases of yellow fever could occur, with brief periods of local transmission in warmer regions such as the Gulf Coast states,’ wrote Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and colleague Dr. Catharine Paules.”
The state of Rio De Jainero, had already ordered one quarter of the vaccines needed by March.
DW reports, “The regional government said it had already ordered 3 million of the 12 million doses that will be required.”
The same species of mosquito that carries the Zika Virus can also carry Yellow Fever.
NBC 2 explains, “The same type of mosquito that carries the Zika virus can also spread Yellow fever, and rural parts of Brazil, where Zika also started, is now suffering from a yellow fever outbreak.”
Yellow Fever’s symptoms are like the flu, except they do include jaundice, which is where it got its name from.
CNN explains, “Symptoms are similar to the flu and could become severe to include fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and jaundice — hence its name yellow fever.” TEAM Brazil works to raise up missionaries to go to the nations. In addition to this though, those who are burnt out from ministry, they try to counsel and get them back to a point where they can start ministering again.
Per TEAM Brazil, “Oasis’s vision statement is ‘To counsel missionaries, pastors, and their families so that they remain in their ministries longer and healthier’. Currently, in its 7 year existence we have counseled 352 missionaries and pastors from 26 Brazilian sending agencies, and 11 denominations. We are the only evangelical counseling center in the nation that has as its goal to serve pastors and missionaries exclusively.”
Pray for pastors and missionaries to be refreshed through TEAM. Pray for all of the yellow fever vaccines to get to Rio de Jainero. Pray for no outbreak of yellow fever in the United States.
CNN: US officials keep watchful eye on yellow fever outbreak in Brazil
DW: Brazil’s Rio state to vaccinate population against yellow fever
NBC 2: Yellow fever outbreak could spread to US