Colombia Confirms Yellow Fever Fatalities at High-Altitude

The Department of Tolima in the Republic of Colombia recently reported 100 confirmed cases of yellow fever, with a total of 35 related fatalities.

Tolima reported its first case of yellow fever in October 2024, marking the first case in the country since 2000. Within the month, yellow fever cases were reported across the rural municipalities of Cunday, Prado, Purificación, and Villarrica in Tolima.

While yellow fever is endemic throughout most of Colombia, cases are seldom reported in high-altitude areas in the Andean region. The Tolima department is located in the centre-west of the Andean region, at an average elevation of 700 meters above sea level.

This makes the emergence of the disease in the region remarkable, wrote the health department in February 2025.

"The main prevention strategy against yellow fever is vaccination. In the department of Tolima, people between 1 and 59 years of age should be vaccinated. It's important to have adequate and effective protection against the disease," explained Juan Pablo Escobar, Infectious Disease Specialist and Pediatrician, last year.

As of July 19, 2025, yellow fever vaccines are offered in Colombia and recommended for international travelers visiting endemic areas. In 2024, 6.7 million travelers visited Colombia, setting a new record for tourism in this South American country.

The YF-VAX vaccine is commercially available in the United States at certified travel clinics and pharmacies.