23 Jan 2018

110 more dengue cases in Samoa over holidays

10:11 am on 23 January 2018

Samoa's health ministry says 110 cases of dengue fever were confirmed over the Christmas and New Year period, but there have been no further deaths.

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Photo: lamyai/123RF

The government said the current outbreak appeared to be waning.

Five people died in Samoa and nearly 2500 people became ill with serotype 2 dengue between the first week of August and mid December.

Most of those affected are under the age of 19.

The government continued to warn people to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and trying to reduce places where they can breed.

A Health Ministry spokesperson said although the number of cases rose to 2577 by 7 January, the rate of increase appears to be slowing down.

Meanwhile in Fiji's Northern Division area of Macuata, a dengue outbreak of an unidentified serotype was declared earlier this month.

Kiribati Ministry of Health is reporting an increase in the number of dengue-like illness cases while Wallis and Futuna and French Polynesia have also seen outbreaks.

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