The La Paz Departmental Health Service (SEDES) confirmed the presence of yellow fever virus in a dead monkey within an ecological reserve in the municipality of Coroico, marking the first time rabies has been reported in this region.
The virus now appears to be near an urban area; Coroico is less than two hours from La Paz, which increases the risk of the virus reaching a major population.
In South America, deaths in monkeys frequently precede human cases of yellow fever and thus serve as an indicator of increased yellow fever virus circulation.
Vaccination against yellow fever is strongly recommended for most parts of Bolivia, see also the country page at www.healthytravel.ch. For immunocompetent persons, the Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine (ECTM) recommends a single life-time booster 10 years after the primary dose.
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