Yellow Fever is a viral infection spread by mosquito bites, mainly from Aedes or Haemagogus mosquitoes.

👩‍⚕️ Symptoms

Symptoms usually appear 3–6 days after a bite.

Most people experience a mild, flu-like illness with fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and loss of appetite, which generally improves after a few days.

However, 15–25% of people develop a severe “toxic” phase, which can include high fever, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), abdominal pain, vomiting (sometimes blood-stained), bleeding, kidney and liver failure, shock, and multi-organ failure.

Severe cases can be life-threatening, with mortality up to 30–50%. Survivors usually gain lifelong immunity.

Australia’s Yellow Fever Entry Requirements

Australia requires travellers to present a valid Yellow Fever certificate if, within the previous 6 days, they have:

- Visited or departed from a country at risk of Yellow Fever transmission, or

- Transited for more than 12 hours through the airport of a Yellow Fever risk country (Note travellers arriving directly from the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador) are exempt—even though Ecuador is Yellow Fever endemic—because Galápagos itself is non-risk).

If you don’t have one, Biosecurity Officers provide advice on mosquito precautions and early medical evaluation but do not deny entry.

Yellow Fever Risk Countries

Yellow Fever is present in parts of Africa, South America, and some Caribbean territories. Travellers from these areas may need vaccination before entering other countries, including Australia.

🌍 Travel Risks (Africa)

Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.

Note: Some countries have only partial areas at risk.

🌍 Travel Risks (South America)

Argentina (only Misiones and Corrientes provinces), Aruba, Antigua & Barbuda (not Barbados), Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, and Venezuela.

💉 Vaccination and Documentation

The only Yellow Fever vaccine in Australia is Stamaril, approved for people 9 months and older.

It must be given at an accredited Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre by an authorised provider (Dr Matt Shaw at MyClinic Melbourne).

After vaccination, you receive an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP, “Yellow Card”), which shows the vaccine, batch number, date, provider signature, and official stamp.

The certificate becomes valid 10 days after vaccination and is valid for life.

Vaccinations are recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).

Vaccination is not recommended for:

Infants under 9 months.

People with serious immune problems (e.g., primary immunodeficiency, chemotherapy, transplant recipients).

People with a history of thymus disorders.

Those with severe egg allergy or previous severe reaction to the vaccine.

For travellers who cannot be vaccinated, doctors can issue a medical exemption certificate for that trip.

Precautions and Side Effects

The vaccine is live, so it may cause mild reactions, such as fever or soreness.

Rare but serious reactions can affect the nervous system, particularly in infants <9 months, adults ≥60, immunocompromised individuals, or those with thymus disorders. These can include meningitis, nerve problems, or muscle weakness.