Yellow Fever Vaccine Boosters Suggested When Visiting Sao Paulo

Yellow fever travel alert Issued for São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Roraima and Tocantins
vaccine
Brazil Ministry of Health Feb. 2, 2025
Sao Paulo (Vax-Before-Travel)

The Ministry of Health of the Federative Republic of Brazil recently warned international travelers about an increase in the transmission of the yellow fever virus, which is expected to continue until May 2025.

As of February 2, 2025, this yellow fever (YF) warning is particularly relevant for the Brazilian states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Roraima, and Tocantins.

This travel alert is essential for São Paulo, which welcomed over 2.2 million tourists last year and may account for most of Brazil's yellow fever cases in 2025.

The São Paulo State Health Department is investigating suspected and confirmed yellow fever outbreaks in the city of Ribeirão Preto.

The Health Ministry wrote, 'People planning to travel to areas where yellow fever is transmitted or to rural and forested regions should check their vaccination records."

"Those who have not yet been vaccinated or received a fractional dose in 2018 should seek out a health unit at least ten days before traveling to get immunized and avoid exposure to the virus without protection.'

To combat future yellow fever cases and fatalities, Brazil's Ministry of Health has decided to increase the distribution of the yellow fever vaccine (Stamaril) in 2025. Sao Paulo state will receive two million doses, with an additional 800,000 doses by the beginning of February. 

In 2024, the Ministry of Health distributed 20,882,790 vaccine doses throughout Brazil.

Last year, the Pan American Health Organization confirmed over 50 yellow fever cases, including 24 deaths, in the Region of the Americas.

In 2017, the U.S. CDC expanded its vaccination (YF-Vax) recommendations for travelers to Brazil in response to a large YF outbreak in the country's eastern states. 

In 2025, the CDC says travelers older than 9 months going to the state of São Paulo, including the city of São Paulo and all coastal islands, consider vaccination.

"If traveling from the U.S. to Brazil, Yellow Fever is not required for entry. However, if you visit other countries after leaving Brazil, the vaccine may be required for entry," Duellyn Pandis, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, informed Vax-Before-Travel News.

"The YF vaccine is considered a lifetime vaccine, but the CDC and other health ministries encourage a booster after 10 years if traveling to an area with high YF activity, such as São Paulo."

"It's recommended to get vaccinated before you travel to an endemic country region country requirements,' added Pandis, President of Passport Health-Tampa.

The CDC also recommends that visitors to Brazil speak with a travel vaccine expert about chikungunya and typhoid vaccination options, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas. Furthermore, several regions in Brazil are reporting cases of Oropouche.

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