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News Releases
No. 117/05
November 22, 2005
EUROPEAN COMMISSION EARMARKS €2 MILLION TO TACKLE YELLOW FEVER OUTBREAK IN SUDAN
The European Commission has drawn up an emergency
humanitarian aid decision for €2 million to help deal
with a serious outbreak of yellow fever in the South
Kordofan region of
Sudan. This region is a "crossroads"
with many population movements. If left unchecked, the
epidemic could quickly extend to other parts of Sudan.
In recent weeks, there have been more than 400 cases of
the mosquito-borne disease with 124 deaths reported so
far. The funds are managed by the European Commission’s
Humanitarian Aid Department
(ECHO) under the responsibility of
Commissioner
Louis Michel.
 Explaining the Commission’s move, Louis Michel
(pictured at left) said: “We
know that yellow fever is an extremely dangerous viral
infection with a high mortality rate. Aid agencies have
an urgent need for financing to bring the situation
under control. As a front-line donor, the European
Commission will make funds available for containing and
eradicating this epidemic.”
The support will be channeled through experienced
partners including the World Health Organization and
UNICEF. It will be used for a vaccination campaign,
initially targeting 1.8 million people in the affected
zone, to treat those already affected and for vector
control operations in the mosquito breeding areas.
Further Contact Information
Press and Media Relations
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
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