04 Feb 2019 | 03:59 AM UTC
New Caledonia: Dengue outbreak continues /update 2
Dengue fever outbreak continues; at least 319 cases reported as of late January
Event
An outbreak of dengue fever continues in New Caledonia. According to health officials, at least 319 cases have been reported in 2019 as of late January. 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 (e.g. small pockets of fresh water, such as rainwater that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).
