Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=91913
Ministry issues dengue alert
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Update: 5:05PM The Ministry of Health has issued a dengue alert situation for Fiji following confirmed periodic cases in recent months.
Permanent secretary Doctor Lepani Waqatakirewa has confirmed the alert is generated to request health-care personnel to keep the vigilance in the country, set high index of suspicion in all clinical settings and also revamp environmental measures.
Dr Waqatakirewa has called on all health-care professionals throughout Fiji to pin-point high-risk areas where the sporadic cases had been located and take the necessary measures to contain them.
Health-care personnel would now follow the Ministry's Management Control Protocols for Dengue Fever, which were distributed in 2002 and with recent surveillance on bacteria-carrying mosquitoes and Larvae on a high in all areas
Dengue Fever ranks highly world-wide as a newly emerging infectious disease and Dr Waqatakirewa said outbreaks were now in more serious forms and results in greater fatalities, hospitalisation, human sufferings and loss of man-hours.
The last worst epidemic in Fiji was recorded in 1997-98, with 24, 000 cases notified and 13 deaths, costing the Government of Fiji at least $6.5m.
Ministry issues dengue alert
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Update: 5:05PM The Ministry of Health has issued a dengue alert situation for Fiji following confirmed periodic cases in recent months.
Permanent secretary Doctor Lepani Waqatakirewa has confirmed the alert is generated to request health-care personnel to keep the vigilance in the country, set high index of suspicion in all clinical settings and also revamp environmental measures.
Dr Waqatakirewa has called on all health-care professionals throughout Fiji to pin-point high-risk areas where the sporadic cases had been located and take the necessary measures to contain them.
Health-care personnel would now follow the Ministry's Management Control Protocols for Dengue Fever, which were distributed in 2002 and with recent surveillance on bacteria-carrying mosquitoes and Larvae on a high in all areas
Dengue Fever ranks highly world-wide as a newly emerging infectious disease and Dr Waqatakirewa said outbreaks were now in more serious forms and results in greater fatalities, hospitalisation, human sufferings and loss of man-hours.
The last worst epidemic in Fiji was recorded in 1997-98, with 24, 000 cases notified and 13 deaths, costing the Government of Fiji at least $6.5m.