The Ministry of Health in Fiji is appealing to people in villages to improve their hygiene practices in an effort to combat typhoid.
Fiji declared a public health emergency in Navosa Province last week and a public meeting with leaders in the village of Keyasi was held on Tuesday.
A spokesman for the Health Ministry, Iliesa Tora, says hand washing with soap and clean water after toileting, and before preparing food and eating, needs to be taken seriously.
"Unless people change their attitude, change their behaviour patterns and change the way they live, especially in the rural areas where hygiene seems to be something that is taken for granted. And unless people change that, we will continue to have these kind of problems."
Mr Tora says it is possible health authorities may request help from donor agencies to improve the water and sanitation infrastructure in various typhoid hot spots around Fiji.
