Advisory by Joshua Wong, Guardian Senior Patient Care Pharmacist
What is Yellow Fever?
Yellow Fever is another viral infection that is transmitted by mosquitoes that spread dengue, chikungunya or Zika virus.
What are the symptoms of Yellow Fever?
Upon getting bitten by an infected mosquito, non-specific symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, headaches, loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting will develop within three to six days. While most infected individuals will recover from these symptoms within three to four days, some infected individuals may enter a more dangerous phase that can be life-threatening. During this phase, an infected individual can develop high fever, jaundice, bleeding, and even organ failure within hours after recovering from the initial symptoms.
Is there treatment available for Yellow Fever?
Similar to some other mosquito-transmitted viral diseases such as dengue and chikungunya, there is no specific treatment for Yellow Fever. The management of yellow fever mainly involves supportive care and symptomatic relief.
What preventive measures are available?
Vaccines to prevent Yellow Fever are available. Vaccination is recommended for travellers entering countries with active transmission, mainly in the Africa and South America region.
Is Yellow Fever prevalent locally?
While there have been no reported cases of Yellow Fever in Singapore, countries in the Asia region are still at risk due to the presence of an environment that is conducive for active transmission of the virus.
