Summary of Yellow Fever Policy for South Africa
(Updated information received from the Department of Health dated 10 March 2010)
South Africa requires a valid yellow fever certificate from all citizens and non-citizens over 1 year of age travelling from an infected area or having been in transit through infected areas (see list of infected countries below). This is in line with the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005). The IHR allow countries at risk to employ the following measures:
1.1
To obtain vaccination certificates from individuals travelling from areas determined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to be infected by yellow fever. The following measures will be exercised by South Africa for all travellers from high risk countries, who are unable to produce a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate at the port of entry:
- Refused entry; or
- Quarantined until their certificate becomes valid, or for a period of not more than six days; or
- Those with an exemption certificate due to medical reasons may be allowed entry and required to report any fever or other symptoms to the health authorities and be placed under surveillance.
NB: Definition of a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate: Vaccination should be approved by the WHO and administered at least 10 days before departure to South Africa at yellow fever-approved vaccination centres as the vaccine offers protection 10 days after administration. If vaccination is administered less than 10 days before departure, the above measure will be applied.
1.2 Disinfection of aircraft, ships, tyre casing consignments and other modes of transportation coming form infected areas
1.3 These precautionary measures will be strictly enforced by the Department of Health to protect its residents in the Republic of South Africa.
For ease of reference the yellow fever endemic areas are (verify with your travel agent):
Africa
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Angola
Burundi
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Congo (Republic of)
Congo (Democratic Republic of)
Côte d’Ivoire
Equatorial Guinea
Ethiopia
Gambia
Gabon
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Ghana
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Kenya
Liberia
Mali
Mauritania
Niger
Nigeria
Sao Tome & Principe
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Sudan
Rwanda
Tanzania
Togo
Trinidad & Tobago
Uganda
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South America |
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Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Colombia
Ecuador
French Guyana |
Guyana
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Venezuela |
For further information kindly visit the following websites::
