Description of the situation
10 November 2005
The Ministry of Health has notified WHO of a total of 21 suspected cases and 14 deaths in Kayes region, primarily affecting Bafoulabé district, between 7-27 October. (see previous report). After initial tests at the national reference laboratory in Mali, 14 blood specimens taken from suspected cases were sent to the WHO Collaborating Centre for Yellow Fever, the Pasteur Institute, Dakar, Senegal. Four samples are positive for yellow fever.
A team from the Ministry of Health, Mèdecins sans Frontières and WHO is currently carrying out an epidemiological assessment in the affected area. The Ministry of Health is requesting an additional 4 million doses of yellow fever vaccine to increase vaccination coverage in the surrounding districts.