Most of our clients do not need a yellow fever certificate to enter Tanzania.
According to Tanzania’s entry requirements, if you are traveling from a place where there is a risk of yellow fever transmission, or if you are simply transiting through an affected nation, you may need to show a yellow fever certificate.
What Countries Have Risk of Yellow Fever Transmission?
Here are the countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission:
Africa
Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda.
Americas
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.
Do I Need a Yellow Fever Certificate?
Travelers from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—places without yellow fever transmission risk—do not need a yellow fever certificate if traveling directly from these countries.
However, if you transit through one of the high-risk countries listed above, you may be required to show a yellow fever certificate. This includes passengers flying through Nairobi, even if they do not leave the airport.
Based on our experience, the staff at Kilimanjaro Airport does not enforce yellow fever certificate requirements. We have never heard of our clients being asked to show their certificate.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that yellow fever certificates are required if traveling from a country with risk of yellow fever virus transmission, including transit longer than 12 hours in an airport located in such a country. Yellow fever vaccinations are generally not recommended for travelers to Tanzania according to the CDC.
What is Yellow Fever?
Yellow fever is a viral infection caused by the Flavivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family. The virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, which acquires the virus by feeding on an infected host.
Symptoms and Phases
An infection with yellow fever has three phases:
- Initial phase: Symptoms last 3 to 5 days, including fever, chills, headache, backache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, flushed face, and infection of the inner eyelid.
- Remission phase: Many recover during this stage.
- Severe phase: Occurs in 15-25% of patients and can be deadly. Symptoms include jaundice, bleeding gums, hemorrhages, black vomit, shock, renal failure, delirium, coma, and death.
No specific treatment exists; medical care focuses on symptom relief through rest, fluids, and medication. Hospitalization is often necessary.
Yellow fever is prevalent in West, Central, and East Africa, and South America, but has never been detected in Asia. The World Health Organization estimates 200,000 cases yearly worldwide, with about 30,000 deaths.
Yellow Fever Vaccination
- The vaccine is a single dose, administered at least 10 days before entering a country.
- It is 100% effective and should be repeated every 10 years for those traveling to high-risk areas.
- Since Tanzania itself is a yellow fever risk area, you might consider vaccination even if the CDC generally does not recommend it for travelers to Tanzania.
How to Reduce the Risk of Yellow Fever Transmission
Besides vaccination, take these precautions:
- Use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535.
- Wear clothing that covers exposed skin (arms, hands, legs, head).
- Sleep under mosquito nets.
- Limit outdoor activities during peak mosquito hours (dusk to dawn).
- Keep accurate records of travel dates, locations, and outdoor activities to aid diagnosis if needed.
