Ministry of Health offers Yellow Fever Vaccines

After a resurgence of Yellow Fever in Brazil, Panama is getting proactive about vaccinating the population against Yellow Fever in areas that could be affected.

While the CDC does not recommend vaccination in the Panama West area, the ministry of health is offering vaccinations from 7:30am to 2:00 p.m. for $5.00. You are required to show ID (passport or cedula.

The vaccination is more important for those planing to travel to Colon and beyond. The CDC recommends it for those traveling to the areas of Colon, the Kuna Yala region and the Darien.

“Yellow Fever Vaccines are Recommended for all travelers ≥9 months of age traveling to all mainland areas east of the area surrounding the canal (the entire comarcas of Emberá and Kuna Yala, the entire province of Darién, and areas of the provinces of Colón and Panamá that are east of the canal).”

The recent outbreak of yellow fever has killed at least 40 people and possibly more than 80 people, the World Health Organization says. Some cases couldn't be confirmed, but the mosquito-borne virus has infected more than 400 people, WHO says.

Brazilian health officials say it's also killing monkeys - more than 400 in the southeastern state of Espirito Santo, just north of Rio de Janeiro state.