British travellers have been warned about a surge in yellow fever cases, with numbers in 2025 reaching 5.6 times those recorded in 2024. The potentially fatal viral disease is transmitted by mosquitoes across parts of Africa, Central and South America, and Trinidad in the Caribbean.
Travel Health Pro, a UK government advisory service, reported that 346 confirmed human cases, including 143 deaths, were recorded across seven countries in South and Central America in 2025. Since the start of 2026, 41 confirmed cases and 18 deaths have been reported in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.
The advisory noted that while most cases in 2024 were in the Amazon region, the disease has now spread to a wider geographic area, including Sao Paulo State in Brazil and Tolima Department in Colombia. An outbreak in Colombia has been ongoing since mid-2024, with 153 confirmed cases and 62 deaths.
Yellow fever risk also remains high in endemic areas of Africa, where mosquitoes that transmit the virus are common in urban areas. Travel Health Pro warned that this significantly increases the risk of outbreaks, especially in densely populated regions.
Travellers are advised to check their risk, vaccine recommendations, and certificate requirements using the TravelHealthPro Country Information pages. The yellow fever vaccine is recommended for all travellers aged nine months and older going to affected areas. The vaccine is not available free on the NHS and typically costs between £60 and £85.
Symptoms usually appear three to six days after a mosquito bite and last three to four days, but a small number of people develop more serious symptoms that can be fatal. Travellers feeling unwell after visiting an affected country should seek urgent medical advice.
