Yellow fever in Colombia
Should I be worried? · Colombia
| Official | Media, unverified | Reported this week | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths | — | 86 | — |
| Confirmed cases | — | 255 | — |
| Suspected cases | — | 1,183 | — |
Yellow fever activity in Colombia is credible but only partly pinned down in the documents retrieved in this session. Official WHO documents show that Colombia was already a major part of the Americas resurgence: by 2025-04-26, WHO reported 60 confirmed cases and 24 deaths in Colombia in 2025, mostly in Tolima, and by 2026-06-24 WHO said Colombia was the most affected country in the Americas during 2026-01-01 to 2026-05-26. WHO also described the wider regional risk as high, driven by sylvatic transmission, uneven vaccination coverage, competent vectors, and spread into areas outside the Amazon basin. What is contested is the current Colombia total. The only September 2026 event-specific figure retrieved here is an unverified media report that attributes to Colombia’s Instituto Nacional de Salud 58 confirmed cases and 27 deaths in 2026, while also citing 206 confirmed cases and 86 deaths cumulatively in Colombia. Without a directly retrieved Colombian authority bulletin, those two denominators cannot be reconciled here. What to watch: whether Colombian authorities publish an updated national line list or bulletin, whether cases remain confined to sylvatic exposure in Tolima and nearby areas or move toward urban transmission, whether vaccination campaigns are expanded in affected departments, and whether WHO issues a country-specific update for Colombia rather than only regional/global summaries.
Situation as of 21 Sept 2026
Official
WHO officially reported that Colombia had 60 confirmed yellow fever cases and 24 deaths in 2025 as of 2025-04-26, with most cases in Tolima, and later stated that Colombia was the most affected country in the Americas during 2026-01-01 to 2026-05-26. WHO describes the regional risk in the Americas as high because of active sylvatic transmission, uneven vaccination coverage, competent vectors, and spread into areas outside the Amazon basin.
Media, unverified
One unverified media report dated 2026-09-21 says Colombia confirmed 58 yellow fever cases and 27 deaths in 2026, citing Colombia’s Instituto Nacional de Salud. The same report also cites municipality-level counts in Tolima and nearby areas and mentions a CDC Level 2 travel notice.
Control measures
WHO says response measures in the Americas include strengthened surveillance, timely laboratory testing, vaccination, case management, risk communication, and cross-border coordination. The unverified media report also cites a CDC Level 2 travel notice. No Colombia-specific quarantine or internal movement restriction document was retrieved in this session.
Timeline
- · WHO reported that Colombia had 60 confirmed yellow fever cases and 24 deaths in 2025 as of this date, with 52 cases and 18 deaths in Tolima and additional cases in Caldas, Cauca, Guaviare, Meta, and Putumayo.
- · WHO published a regional outbreak notice for the Americas reporting 212 confirmed cases and 85 deaths across five countries and assessed yellow fever risk in the Americas, especially endemic countries, as high.
- · WHO published a global update stating that from 2026-01-01 to 2026-05-26 six countries in the Americas reported 79 human infections and that Colombia was the most affected country in the region.
- · An unverified media report attributed to Colombia’s Instituto Nacional de Salud said Colombia had 58 confirmed cases and 27 deaths in 2026, and also cited 206 confirmed cases and 86 deaths cumulatively in Colombia.
Latest reports
- · pulzo.com · Media, unverified
Puntos de vacunación contra la fiebre amarilla para adultos mayores y gestantes en Bogotá: cómo consultar y acceder - · teletica.com · Media, unverified
Sector privado garantiza disponibilidad de vacuna contra fiebre amarilla para viajeros - · medicaldaily.com · Media, unverified
Colombia Confirms 58 Yellow Fever Cases and 27 Deaths This Year as CDC Posts Level 2 Travel Notice