Public Urged to Ensure that they are Vaccinated Against Yellow Fever
Port-of-Spain, February 23rd, 2021: Members of the public are advised that there has been a recent increase in the number of deaths within the monkey population in South Trinidad. Laboratory testing by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) subsequently confirmed the presence of the Yellow Fever virus in samples obtained from the bodies of dead monkeys from this area. Routine public health surveillance activities are usually conducted by the Veterinary Public Health Division and the Insect Vector Control Division of the Ministry of Health, to monitor the monkey population.
The Yellow Fever virus is transmitted to people mainly through the bite of an infected mosquito of the
MoH: Get yellow fever vaccine
File photo
THE Ministry of Health on Tuesday urged people to ensure they have been vaccinated against yellow fever.
“Members of the public are advised that there has been a recent increase in the number of deaths within the monkey population in South Trinidad,” a ministry statement said.
“Laboratory testing by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) subsequently confirmed the presence of the yellow fever virus in samples obtained from the bodies of dead monkeys from this area.”
Routine public health surveillance on the the monkey population is done by the Veterinary Public Health Division and the ministry’s Insect Vector Control Division.