All travellers arriving in India within six days of departure from yellow fever-affected countries are required to produce a vaccination certificate or proof of action taken to prevent the disease, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
Yellow fever is an acute flu-like disease transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito.
"...All travellers arriving in India within six days of departure from any yellow fever endemic country are required to possess (in orginal) a yellow fever certificate of vaccination or prophylaxis as per the model released by World Health Organisation from a yellow vaccination centre designated by the country," Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
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WHO has listed over 40 countries, including Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, Sudan, Uganda, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Venezuela, as yellow fever endemic countries.
Even the Indians, who are planning to visit the yellow fever-afflicted countries and return within a period of six days, are advised to take the vaccine as they would need to produce the proof of it on their arrival, the Minister said.
"...All passengers who want to visit yellow fever endemic countries are advised to take the vaccination even though they may return to India within six days because they have to produce certificate of vaccination on their arrival in India to avoid enforcement of quarantine procedure/regulations," the minister said.
According to advisory issued by Health Ministry, any passenger arriving in India from any yellow fever endemic country without a valid certificate will be treated as suspects of carrying the disease in their body and are quarantined up to six days.
