New Caledonia: Dengue outbreak continues /update 1

Event

An outbreak of dengue fever continues in New Caledonia. According to health officials, at least 1997 cases, including two deaths, had been reported in 2018 as of late December. Authorities have advised residents to take precautions against mosquitoes.

Context

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease found mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. Symptoms 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, enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.

Advice

Individuals present in New Caledonia 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.).