Cameroon has gained control over the spread of the yellow fever virus throughout its national territory, as evidenced by the latest public health monitoring document from the National Observatory of Public Health, ONSP, a public entity under the Ministry of Public Health (Minsanté). The most recent ONSP assessment, conducted in the first week of April, classifies the risk of yellow fever spread in Cameroon as “moderate.”

This conclusion was reached after the ONSP evaluated the likelihood of cases against the severity of the disease, both of which were deemed moderate. However, the ONSP cautions that the battle against yellow fever is far from over, primarily due to insufficient surveillance measures and the country’s permeable borders. The official epidemiological report currently lists three confirmed cases and 416 suspected cases across three health districts: Belel (Adamaoua region), Biyem-Assi (Centre region), and Japoma (Littoral region). Twelve cases are pending confirmation, and no deaths have been reported to date.

Resurgence

In response to the detection of these cases, Cameroon launched a vaccination campaign in seven health districts (Meiganga, Djohong, Tignère, Garoua 1, Gashiga, Ngong, and Djoum). The campaign, which ran until April 17, 2024, targets approximately 1.1 million individuals aged between 9 months and 60 years, as per the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI). The EPI clarifies that pregnant women and women breastfeeding children under nine months old are excluded from this campaign.

At the campaign’s launch on April 10, health authorities attributed the disease’s resurgence to inadequate vaccination coverage. Specifically, Cameroon has yet to achieve herd immunity, which requires 80% of the population to be vaccinated. This figure stood at 56% in 2022.

It’s worth noting that Cameroon is currently grappling with two major epidemics: measles, with 236 confirmed cases, and yellow fever. The latter, an acute viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes, is of particular concern to the World Health Organization (WHO), especially as the rainy season increases the number of larval breeding sites.

Michel Ange Nga