Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
American Samoa
Date: 22 Jun 2007
Source: Radio New Zealand [edited]
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=33098
Fears of dengue epidemic in American Samoa
----------------------
A 20-year-old who died after being admitted to
the LBJ Hospital in American Samoa in the
advanced stages of dengue fever has raised alarm
bells at the territory's Health Department.
The death, according to a Department of Health
report, is believed to be the first from dengue
in several years.
The Department has stepped up it's awareness
efforts, with communicable disease surveillance
nurse Charmaine Edwards saying the situation will
get worse before it gets better.
"I've seen a lot of cases come through the ER as
suspected dengues, and I'm actually now up to 29
confirmed cases with more cases pending with
results coming in, so that's another reason we're
stepping up our campaign to really make the
public aware that dengue is here and it's
prevalent on the island."
Charmaine Edwards says there could be an epidemic
if the situation is not nipped in the bud.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[It would be of interest to know which mosquito
species are transmitting dengue virus in this
area, and which of the 4 dengue virus types are
present.
A map of American Samoa can be accessed at:
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/australia/samoa_islands_2002.pdf>.
The WHO (World Health Organization) description
of dengue fever and the more deadly dengue
hemorrhagic fever [DHF] can be found in
ProMED-mail's "Dengue/DHF update 20070514.1541"
ProMED-mail thanks the contributors to this
update and encourages others to contribute
reports also. - Mod.TY]
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/prome..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,38227
Date: 22 Jun 2007
Source: Radio New Zealand [edited]
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=33098
Fears of dengue epidemic in American Samoa
----------------------
A 20-year-old who died after being admitted to
the LBJ Hospital in American Samoa in the
advanced stages of dengue fever has raised alarm
bells at the territory's Health Department.
The death, according to a Department of Health
report, is believed to be the first from dengue
in several years.
The Department has stepped up it's awareness
efforts, with communicable disease surveillance
nurse Charmaine Edwards saying the situation will
get worse before it gets better.
"I've seen a lot of cases come through the ER as
suspected dengues, and I'm actually now up to 29
confirmed cases with more cases pending with
results coming in, so that's another reason we're
stepping up our campaign to really make the
public aware that dengue is here and it's
prevalent on the island."
Charmaine Edwards says there could be an epidemic
if the situation is not nipped in the bud.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[It would be of interest to know which mosquito
species are transmitting dengue virus in this
area, and which of the 4 dengue virus types are
present.
A map of American Samoa can be accessed at:
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/australia/samoa_islands_2002.pdf>.
The WHO (World Health Organization) description
of dengue fever and the more deadly dengue
hemorrhagic fever [DHF] can be found in
ProMED-mail's "Dengue/DHF update 20070514.1541"
ProMED-mail thanks the contributors to this
update and encourages others to contribute
reports also. - Mod.TY]
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/prome..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,38227