Language, Education and Nation-building in Myanmar

Abstract

Background: In December 2015, the Hong Kong Standard reported that its hospitals were ready to handle dengue and yellow fever outbreaks. There has never been a case of yellow fever in HK, or anywhere else in Asia. Nobody knows why not. But the risk is there. HK could lead Asia by preparing a contingency plan. Why? Because when YF arrives in HK everyone will think it is only jaundice or dengue. Methods & Materials: Do the medical labs have the reagents to distinguish yellow fever from closely related dengue? Is there a stockpile of the vaccine? There is no treatment. Yellow fever kills 20% of unvaccinated people, the vaccine is only fully effective 10 days after the shot, and infants under 9 months and seniors over 65 should not have it because of possible side effects. Is there a stockpile of mosquito control chemicals, ground & air fogging equipment and technicians who know how to calibrate the spray and get themselves tested for the side effects of their exposure to the spray? Results: A PowerPoint slide show of how to prepare a contingency plan is available from WHO/SEARO New Delhi. Conclusion: We urge all Asian countries at risk- particularly India & southern China - to draft a contingency plan as soon as possible. This also applies to every country in Asia that has dengue, because the same mosquitoes that transmit dengue can transmit YF from an imported case. This is to avoid falling into the same unprepared situation that West Africa experienced with Ebola. John “Jack” Woodall PhD was a consultant for the WHO/SEARO 2011 Goa workshop on yellow fever.