Rio de Janeiro, March 14 (RHC-Xinhua), -- The Rio de Janeiro municipal government will establish a year-long vaccination scheme to prevent an outbreak of yellow fever,  according to Health Secretary Carlos Eduardo de Mattos.

Beginning this year, several cases of yellow fever have been registered in urban areas of the state of Minas Gerais, located next to Rio de Janeiro state.

The government announced it will launch a city-wide vaccination plan in two weeks that is expected to last until the end of the year. The vaccines will be available at all public clinics.

"This is a preventive measure, so that the population will remain calm about yellow fever," the secretary said.