Fiji: Dengue fever outbreak

Event

Health officials announced January 4 that up to 78 new cases of dengue fever  had been confirmed each week since November 2017. According to statistics from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, 279 confirmed cases were reported between November 20 and December 17. The majority of cases have been reported in Labasa, on the island of Vanua Levu.

Context

Dengue fever outbreaks occur regularly, with most cases of the mosquito-borne disease found in urban and semi-urban areas. Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rash. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, the enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.

Advice

Individuals present in the region are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping in a screened-in or air conditioned room) and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds (small pockets of fresh water, such as rain water that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).