Fiji: Ten cases of dengue fever confirmed on Vanua Levu January 22 /update 1

Event

On Wednesday, January 22, Fiji's Ministry of Health confirmed ten cases of dengue fever on Fiji's second largest island, Vanua Levu. The spread of the fever has been due to heavy rains from Tropical Cyclones Sarai and Tino, and the disease is present country-wide. 

Ministry of Health officials have been spraying disinfectant in cyclone evacuation centers where the disease was reportedly contracted.

Context

Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rashes. DHF is characterized by high fever, the enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.

Advice

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