Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state confirms 3rd yellow fever case

RIO DE JANEIRO – Local health officials in Brazil say the uncle of a man who died earlier this month from yellow fever was infected with the virus in the third case in the same area of Rio de Janeiro state.

The state’s Health Department has confirmed that the case of a third person who was hospitalized and later released. Officials in Casimiro de Abreu identified the man as Joaquim Santos, who was living in a rural area of the small community.

Santos’ 38-year-old nephew Watila Santos died March 11. A neighbour of Watila Santos was also infected and survived.

Brazil’s Health Ministry says 449 people have been infected in the largest yellow fever outbreak the country has seen in years and 144 have died.

Mosquitoes transmit yellow fever, which causes fever, body aches, vomiting and sometimes jaundice.

Rio has announced plans to vaccinate its entire population.