Colombia Confirms Addition Yellow Fever Fatalities

The yellow fever outbreak in the Republic of Colombia has intensified, with the latest data showing a continued rise in cases and fatalities in 2026.

As of February 8, 2026, Colombia's Ministry of Health confirmed 168 yellow fever cases, including 76 deaths, according to a Facebook post.

This new data represents an increase from earlier reports in late January 2026, when the cumulative total stood at 161 cases and 73 deaths.

Located on the northwestern coast of South America, the department of Tolima remains the epicenter, historically low-risk but now accounting for the majority of infections (previously reported at over 130 cases and dozens of deaths in the region alone).

Other Colombian departments include Caldas, Caquetá, Cauca, Guaviare, Huila, Meta, Nariño, Putumayo, and Vaupés.

The outbreak, which originated in late 2024 and escalated significantly through 2025, has been marked by a persistently high case-fatality rate, often exceeding 40-70% in various reporting periods, largely due to low vaccination coverage among affected populations in forested or rural areas where the mosquito-transmitted virus circulates.

With millions of travelers departing for Colombia from the U.S. each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Travel Health Notice, Level 2, continues to recommend yellow fever vaccination for travelers to risk areas in Colombia at elevations generally below 2,300 meters, excluding major cities like Bogotá, Barranquilla, Cali, Cartagena, and Medellín.

Numerious health authorities urge residents and visitors in or traveling to endemic zones to get vaccinated at least 10 days before exposure, use mosquito protection, and seek immediate medical care if symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea, or jaundice appear. 

When departing from the United States for Colombia, travel vaccination clinics offer the YF-Vax vaccine.