Yellow fever outbreak puts pressure on global vaccine supply

The virus is rapidly spreading in African countries. Officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) declared an epidemic of yellow fever in three regions on Monday. The announcement comes amid an outbreak that is rapidly using up the global stockpile of vaccines for the mosquito-borne disease. The outbreak was first identified in Angola in late December 2015, and so far that country has reported more than 3,100 cases. The DRC has reported more than 1,000 suspected cases, and Kenya and China have also reported cases of the disease imported by travelers. Most people infected with yellow fever have mild or no symptoms, but some experience fever, chills, aching, nausea and fatigue. In some cases, the disease can lead to organ failure. Other countries, including Brazil, Chad, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Peru and Uganda are also reporting outbreaks of yellow fever that appear to be unrelated to the outbreak that started in Angola. The World...