ACCRA, Ghana (Xinhua) —An outbreak of yellow fever has killed three people in the West Gonja District of Ghana’s Northern Region, health authorities announced on Friday.

Twelve more people are said to be suffering from the disease in the area, some 657 km north of the national capital.

The Ministry of Health is making every effort to contain the disease, according to a statement signed by Tony Goodman, public relations officer of the ministry.

“It is worthy of note that the response of the regions and districts so far are appropriate and adequate and we expect these response actions to contain and halt the outbreak,” he said in the statement.

Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes.

It can kill up to 50 per cent of victims if adequate treatment is not administered.

There are an estimated 200,000 cases of yellow fever causing 30,000 deaths worldwide each year, with 90 per cent occurring in Africa.

Symptoms of the disease include fever, jaundice, muscle pain, with prominent backache and headache.

Vaccination is the most important preventive measure against the disease.