Surveillance of viral haemorrhagic fevers, Rift Valley fever and yellow fever in humans, South Africa, 2019-2023
Viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are zoonotic infections involving various animal species, such as (but not limited to) bats, rodents and primates, in intricate ecological cycles. VHFs are infections characterised by abnormal blood clotting, which can lead to severe bleeding and life-threatening illness.
As cited in Regulation 1434 of the National Health Act of 2003, VHFs in South Africa are classified as category 1 notifiable medical conditions, necessitating immediate reporting upon clinical suspicion. The surveillance programme also includes Rift Valley fever and yellow fever, both of which present clinically with haemorrhagic symptoms under this regulation.
In this report, The National Institute for Communicable Disease’s arbovirus reference laboratory describes the incidence of VHFs, Rift Valley fever and yellow fever in South Africa for the period 2019 to 2023.
