BRASILIA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-one people have died of yellow fever in Brazil so far this year, the country's Health Ministry has confirmed, local media reports said Saturday.

    The reports, quoting statistics released by the Health Ministry, said 40 of the 70 suspected yellow fever cases reported in Brazil this year had been confirmed.

    The central state of Goias has been hardest hit by the epidemic, where 21 people were confirmed as having contracted yellow fever, of whom 13 died.

    The people dying from the disease have either never been vaccinated or the vaccines they received have been inactive, the ministry said.

    An estimated 30,000 people worldwide die annually from the mosquito-borne disease, according to WHO. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting, jaundice and bleeding from the mouth, nose, eyes and stomach.