29 December 2020
From October to December 2020, a total of seven confirmed cases of yellow fever (YF) have been reported from four health districts in three regions in Senegal. The outbreak consists of a cluster of four confirmed cases from three health zones in Kidira health district, Tambacounda region; one case in the neighbouring Kedougou health district, Kedougou region; one case in Saraya health district, Kedougou region; and one case in Thilogne health district, Matam region.
In Tambacounda region, on 18 October 2020, a sample was collected from a 40 year-old female living in Kidira district during an investigation for West Nile virus infection. On 29 October, Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) confirmed the case as yellow fever. On 31 October, IPD reported results of a second confirmed case of YF to national health authorities, following a notification by Bakel health zone, Kidira health district. The case was an 8 year-old boy whose illness began in Kidira health district and died on 31 October. On 12 November, IPD notified national health authorities about a third confirmed case, a 23 year-old male, who was detected by routine surveillance and died on 5 November. On 16 November, a fourth confirmed case, a 15 year-old boy from Kidira health district, was reported to national health authorities. The two deaths among the four cases reported in Kidira health district occurred at two hospitals: one at the Matam regional hospital and the other at the Tambacounda regional hospital.