Alert for increase in yellow fever cases in Colombia

Health authorities have strengthened their recommendations for domestic travellers due to the increase in yellow fever cases in several regions of the country, amid the mid-year holiday season.

According to the latest bulletin from the National Institute of Health (INS), in the transcourse of this year [2025], 87 confirmed cases and 34 deaths from this viral disease have been reported.

Tolima continues to lead the list of the most affected departments, with 51 cases and 27 deaths. An increase in infections and deaths has also been reported in Putumayo (2 cases and 2 deaths), as well as associated deaths in Caldas, Cauca, Guaviare, and Meta.

Of the cases reported this year [2025], 68 were men and 19 were women. The most common symptoms were high fever (100%), muscle aches(82.8%), severe headache (81.6%), joint pain (66.7%), jaundice or yellowing of the skin and eyes (41.4%), and persistent vomiting (41.4%).

Recommendation

With a sustained increase in cases and an increased flow of travelers this season, authorities reiterated that prevention is key to preventing the spread of this disease. Vaccination, self-care, and prompt symptom management can make all the difference in a safe vacation.

Communicated by: ProMED

Moderator Comments

The public health concerns facing this yellow fever (YF)outbreak in Colombia are really 2: infection of susceptible travellers with the risk of dissemination of the virus to new localities and spill over from the forested areas to more urban ones where Aedes aegypti YF vectors are abundant. The solution to both of these challenges is vaccination, both of travellers and of the local resident population. Visitors to areas where cases are occurring need to be vaccinated at least 10 days before their arrival in order to achieve protective antibody levels.

With continuing YF virus transmission in the Tolima department, health authorities are wise to have established vaccination checkpoints and conducted tourist information campaigns to prevent cases among people coming to Tolima for the folklore festivals. Vaccination coverage of the local resident population needs to reach the 95% level recommended by the WHO. That means reaching individuals who are likely to be scattered and geographically isolated in forested areas in 6 departments of the country — not an easy task.