Paraguayans protest amid yellow fever

ASUNCION, Paraguay, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Protesters set fires and blocked streets in Asuncion, Paraguay, amid an outbreak of yellow fever in the South American country, ABC Color reported Friday.

The demonstrators were reportedly upset that health workers were vaccinating certain politicians in their homes while others waited in long lines for their inoculations.

The World Health Organization is sending 2 million doses of yellow fever vaccine to the country.

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

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.