Brits have been warned against all but essential travel to parts of one South American country as it grapples with a disease outbreak. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) issued a new alert for Colombia on Friday. It advised against all but essential travel to parts of the Colombia-Venezuela border and northern Colombia, the Pacific coast and the Colombia-Panama border, Central Colombia, and the Colombia-Ecuador border and southern Colombia.
The FCDO also advised against all travel to Venezuela’s border regions with Colombia and told Brits not to use any of the Colombia-Venezuela land crossings. Failure to follow its warnings could invalidate any travel insurance.
This comes amid a yellow fever health emergency after at least 34 people died from the serious infection.
A virus transmitted by infected mosquitoes cause it and can be prevented by a vaccine that provides lifelong protection in most cases.
The Colombian Government issued a plea to get vaccinated as the Easter weekend approaches and many people will travel to warmer regions where mosquitoes are more prevalent.
Anyone going to the high-risk areas must show proof of vaccination, Health Minister Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo said.
He added that there had been 74 confirmed causes of yellow fever during the outbreak, “with a mortality rate of nearly 50% among those infected”.
Many of the cases were around the eastern part of Tolmia province, known for its coffee plantations.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro warned: “People who have not been vaccinated should not go to high-risk areas during Easter: for now the coffee area.”
The first phase of yellow fever infection usually involves fever, muscle and back pain, headache, shivers, loss of appetite, and nausea or vomiting.
Most people survive these symptoms, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), but the second phase is more serious and involves high fever, jaundice, bleeding and deteriorating kidney function.
The “more toxic” phase kills 50% of those infected within 10 to 14 days.