Angola remains the most badly hit country by yellow fever since its outbreak in December 2015. The southern African country has received 11.7 million vaccine doses – twice the annual global stockpile for yellow fever vaccines. Although relevant global organisations, through the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on vaccine provision for yellow fever, have impressively been on top of the situation, there are growing concerns that fresh reports of suspected cases of yellow fever in 9 countries across the world may stretch the already depleting stockpile of vaccine doses.

According to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) published on Thursday, a projected 30.1 million yellow fever vaccine doses will be needed for the rest of 2016. Currently, the number of doses available stands at 6.8 million. The WHO said that due to the increasing demands this year, the 4 major manufacturers who supply the global stockpile of the yellow fever vaccine have been working around the clock to replenish the stockpile. The yellow fever vaccine is said to take about 12 months for production.

The nine countries listed to have current reports of yellow fever include;

• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Angola
• Uganda
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Chad
• Peru
• Brazil
• Colombia

Two African countries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Angola, have had the most prevalent cases since March 2016. Angola’s case has since been described as the first epidemic of the disease to hit the country in 30 years. In less than three months, the Congo and Angola have recorded 1044 and 166 suspected cases respectively. In Ethiopia, the WHO said investigation is ongoing on 22 suspected yellow fever cases, including five deaths reported in two districts of the South Omo zone.

In light of increasing reports of this deadly disease, coupled with a projection of vaccine dose shortage before the end of 2016, there is an urgent need for other countries of the world, especially African countries neighbouring Angola and the DRC to put up preventive measures toward securing their borders against yellow fever. The WHO’s report highlighted the risk of an international spread through non-immunised travellers. Three countries have reported confirmed yellow fever cases imported from Angola: DRC (53 cases), Kenya (two cases) and People’s Republic of China (11 cases). Therefore, African countries are expected to be on a high alert to forestall an occurrence similar to the outbreak of the ebola disease, or worse.