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Paraguay confirms 7 yellow fever deaths
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080218/ap_on_he_me/paraguay_yellow_fever&printer=1;_ylt=AoXL3qiwYT13m.VjEBFQ0Hda24cA
Paraguay confirms 7 yellow fever deaths
By PEDRO SERVIN, Associated Press WriterMon Feb 18, 6:55 PM ET
Seven people have died from Paraguay's first outbreak of yellow fever in 34 years and authorities are conducting a massive vaccination campaign in high-risk areas, the government said Monday.
Public Health Minister Oscar Martinez did not provide details on the seven deaths, but his announcement came hours after newspaper ABC Color reported that authorities were investigating possible yellow fever deaths in a district on the outskirts of Asuncion, the capital.
They were the first deaths in an outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease that began earlier this month when five cases were detected in the remote farm community of San Pedro, Martinez said. But none of the victims there died.
The health minister said 300,000 people were being vaccinated against yellow fever. Authorities also said that on Tuesday city workers would begin cleaning up standing pools of water and trash where mosquitoes breed in the affected district outside Asuncion and nearby areas.
"We will continue vaccinating until we've stopped this disease from spreading any further," Martinez told a news conference.
Separately, authorities said they had nearly 1 million doses of yellow fever vaccines after donations arrived from Brazil and Peru. Venezuela has also promised to send 100,000 doses.
The yellow fever cases are the first in Paraguay since 1974.
In neighboring Brazil, the Health Ministry has reported 15 deaths this year from yellow fever.
The World Health Organization says an estimated 30,000 people worldwide die annually from the disease. Symptoms can include fevers, vomiting, jaundice and bleeding from the mouth, nose, eyes and stomach.
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