Dengue Fever Outbreak Reported In Fiji

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Dengue Fever Outbreak Reported In Fiji

Disease outbreaks in flooded Fiji

Last Updated: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:24:00 +1100
Fijian health authorities are reporting an outbreak of disease in the country's north following last month's heavy flooding.

Figures released by the health ministry show that 115 out of 140 cases of dengue fever are in northern Fiji.

There are also 223 cases of diarrhoea and 12 typhoid cases, with unusually high levels of skin and viral infections.

The ministry says its concerned by the reports and has urged resident to boil all drinking water.

Meanwhile, health officials say there has been a fourth death from Leptospirosis.

The latest victim of the rare bacterial infection was from the north of Fiji.

The three other deaths were reported in the Western Division, and five people are still under surveillance after being diagnosed with the disease.


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[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue Fever Outbreak Reported In Fiji

Source: http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=133794


250 dengue cases recorded

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

FIJI recorded more than 250 cases of dengue fever this year.

In a report presented at the National Dengue Strategic Plan Consultation, the adviser for communicable diseases, Dr Eric Rafai, said the data was recorded from January to May.

Dr Rafai said a simple blood test was done at the three divisional hospitals if the doctors suspected a patient had dengue fever.

"The positive results are then sent to Mataika House for further testing," Dr Rafai said.

He said there were two types of cases recorded, whether the case was an acute infection or whether the infection had been there for some time.

Dr Rafai said some results were also sent to Australia for testing at the World Health Organisation reference centre.

He advised the doctors to test samples for dengue if there were two or more cases from the same area.

Dengue remains one of the most serious health problems in Fiji.

The disease has become one of the most important mosquito borne virus diseases in the world.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue Fever Outbreak Reported In Fiji

Source: http://fijidailypost.com/news.php?section=1&fijidailynews=25403

Dengue cases up this year
25-Nov-2009 08:58 AM

Evidence-based data collected in the beginning of 2009 up to now, indicate the possibility of a hike in the number of dengue cases in the country.

Ministry of Health, spokesperson Iliesa Tora told Fiji Daily Post that dengue was caused by the mosquito species Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus and other Aedes mosquitoes.

?Evidence received from monthly larval survey reports from the four divisions indicated an increase in larval, container and bretaux indexes, surpassing the expected threshold, this indicates high risk status of the mosquito vector for dengue,? said Tora.

He said in the past urban and peri-urban areas from the rural areas were mostly affected by dengue cases.

Tora added that rapid urbanisation, high rural-urban drift, poor water supply systems, and development of squatter areas resulted in very poor development control and planning, and ineffective waste management protocol are some of the reasons for such.

?Rural areas are also becoming prominent especially after occurrence of natural phenomenon such as flooding creating an opportunity for mosquito breeding, which is the vector for dengue,? he said.

The National Vector Control Unit with the National Center for Communicable Diseases Control of the Ministry of Health has taken a proactive direction.

Tora said cleanup campaigns were launched throughout the country especially in the Central Division.

The same initiatives are being carried out in the Western and Northern divisions with awareness campaign focusing on community mobilization, house to house surveys for larval and adult mosquito destruction, and enforcement by serving intimation notices to offenders.

?We have just completed a 3-day consultation meeting (17 - 19 November 2009) with major stakeholders within the Ministry of Health and our counterparts from other Ministries and Non-government organizations,? he said.

He said the purpose was to discuss the draft National Dengue Strategic Plan (2010 - 2015) which will chart the future direction on the national dengue program for the
country.

By SHEETAL SINGH