France sends vaccine to Paraguay

ASUNCION, Paraguay, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- France is sending yellow fever vaccine to Paraguay to help deal with an outbreak of the mosquito-borne illness, ABC Color newspaper reported Thursday.

Eight people have died in the first reported outbreak of yellow fever in Paraguay since 1974.

France has reportedly committed to sending 1 million doses of the vaccine to the poor South American country.

Paraguay issued a nationwide health alert last month, intended to help stop an outbreak of another mosquito-borne sickness, dengue fever. Health officials said at least 150 suspected cases of the mosquito-born illness were detected in Paraguay since the start of the year.

Seventeen Paraguayans died of dengue fever last year, prompting some to blame President Nicanor Duarte for not issuing nationwide warnings about the disease.