New Caledonia Dengue Cases

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/09/29/new-caledonia-dengue-cases-reach-1000

New Caledonia Dengue Cases Reach 1,000
Monday: September 29, 2008

Oceania Flash)

The 1,000 mark for reported dengue cases in New Caledonia has been reached, while local authorities are now increasingly worried about the return of the warm and humid season, a key factor in the mosquito-borne disease.

The latest figures (officially 999 cases), as reported by New Caledonia's Health and Social department, overwhelmingly concern the serotype 1 variety of the hemorrhagic fever.

This is in contrast with several neighboring Pacific island countries, such as Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, American Samoa or Palau.

The worst-affected country, apart from New Caledonia, is currently Fiji, where the 1,000 mark has also been reached. But in Fiji, the epidemic has been identified as one of serotype 4 dengue.

This has led New Caledonian health authorities, as well as those in French Polynesia, to raise awareness and alert levels with a particular focus on visitors or returning travelers, who could "import" the disease.

One particular worry is that even though local populations have been regularly exposed to the type 1 dengue virus, they are not used to the Type 4 and could therefore be more vulnerable and less resistant.

Another concern is that the return of the warm and humid season in this part of the Pacific could fuel a fresh vigor in the cases of dengue, because of the favorable conditions to the reproduction of vector-bearing Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes and their larvae.

As in other parts of the Pacific, New Caledonian authorities have stepped up awareness campaigns (with a focus on cleaning compounds and removing any object that could potentially contain still waters (a favorite breeding site for mosquitoes).

The public is also advised to use personal mosquito repellents and mosquito nets to avoid being bitten by the insects.

Public spraying campaigns have also been carried out in past months, especially in the capital Noum?a and its suburbs.

In French Polynesia, health director Dr Henri-Pierre Mallet has also expressed alarm last week, saying that if the Type 4 dengue was to make its way into the French Pacific territory, about 60 percent of the population (about 250,000 I total) could be affected.

Dengue, if left untreated, can prove deadly because of the internal hemorrhage it provokes.

Its earlier symptoms are joint and muscular pains, headaches, nausea, fever, which can all be easily mistaken for a common influenza.

The overarching advice is that in case of symptoms and in doubt, medical advice should be sought.

http://newspad-pacific.info/

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Source: http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/10/23/new-caledonia-reports-dengue-death

New Caledonia Reports Dengue Death
Thursday: October 23, 2008

(Oceania Flash)

New Caledonia's health services today announced the first death related to the current dengue fever epidemic.

The victim was a woman in her fifties, who resided in the country town of La Foa, on the West coast of the main island.

Health services have also pointed out that the latest toll on the number of cases reported stood this week at 1,016.

Most cases concerned the serotype 1 of the hemorrhagic fever, which is transmitted by mosquitoes.

New Caledonia has been gripped by the epidemic for the past four months.

In other parts f the Pacific region, another, less common, serotype of dengue, the type 4, is currently prevailing, particularly in Fiji (close to 2,000cases reported so far), Kiribati, Samoa, American Samoa and Palau.

This has led New Caledonian health authorities, as well as those in French Polynesia, to raise awareness and alert levels with a particular focus on visitors or returning travelers, who could "import" the disease.

One particular worry is that even though local populations have been regularly exposed to the type 1 dengue virus, they are not used to the Type 4 and could therefore be more vulnerable and less resistant.

Another concern is that the return of the warm and humid season in this part of the Pacific could fuel a fresh vigor in the cases of dengue, because of the favorable conditions to the reproduction of vector-bearing Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes and their larvae.

As in other parts of the Pacific, New Caledonian authorities have stepped up awareness campaigns (with a focus on cleaning compounds and removing any object that could potentially contain still waters, a favorite breeding site for mosquitoes).

The public is also advised to use personal mosquito repellents and mosquito nets to avoid being bitten by the insects.

Public spraying campaigns have also been carried out in past months, especially in the capital Noum?a and its suburbs.

In French Polynesia, health director Dr Henri-Pierre Mallet has also expressed alarm last month, saying that if the Type 4 dengue was to make its way into the French Pacific territory, about 60 percent of the population (about 250,000) could be affected.

Dengue, if left untreated, can prove deadly because of the internal hemorrhage it provokes. Its earlier symptoms are joint and muscular pains, headaches, nausea, fever, which can all be easily mistaken for a common influenza.

The overarching advice is that in case of symptoms and in doubt, medical advice should be sought.

http://newspad-pacific.info/

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Source: http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news...caledonia-to-be-screened-by-body-heat-monitor

Some Arrivals In New Caledonia To Be Screened By Body Heat Monitor
Thursday: November 13, 2008

Oceania Flash)

Inbound international passengers coming from such neighboring countries as Fiji are now being screened for possible dengue fever symptoms upon arrival at New Caledonia's La Tontouta airport

The key tool used by local health services is a state of the art heat-sensitive camera filming all passengers, with a special focus on flights coming from neighboring countries currently affected by type 4 dengue fever epidemics, especially Fiji, where over 2,100 cases have so far been reported.

New Caledonia is currently facing a dengue type 1 epidemic, with over 1,000 cases reported.

The heat-sensitive camera, based on infrared technology, is monitoring all passengers in order to determine unusually high body temperature.

New Caledonia has stepped up its surveillance and awareness system, because an outbreak of the type 4 dengue fever, combined with the current type 1 already prevalent in the French Pacific territory, would have a disastrous impact.

While the serotype 1 dengue has been present in New Caledonia for the past few years, the type 4 has not been seen for many years. This makes persons exposed more vulnerable.

New Caledonia has also stepped up its awareness campaign, in order to reinforce its message to the population.

While earlier media and television spots were stressing the need to clean up all potential mosquito breeding sites (still waters contained in old pots, tires, gutters, bushy areas in compounds), to use mosquito nets, personal repellents and wear long sleeves, the new message is banking on the fear factor.

Since last week, viewers can see a person die of dengue fever in hospital, surrounded by powerless doctors. The final message is: "Dengue too can kill you."

In French Polynesia, health authorities have also been placed on high alert, for the same reasons.

http://newspad-pacific.info/

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Source: http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news...in-new-caledonia-after-type-4-case-discovered

Dengue Alert In New Caledonia After Type 4 Case Discovered
Thursday: November 20, 2008

(Oceania Flash)

Health authorities in New Caledonia today announced they had detected as the first case of non-imported type 4 of the hemorrhagic dengue fever, which is transmitted by mosquitoes.

The first case, which is a cause for concern for local health professionals, was found in the northern province of the main island.

The infected person is a woman in her twenties who is said to never have traveled to neighboring countries where Type 4 dengue fever is currently prevalent (including Fiji, where over 2,100 cases are currently reported).

A few cases of Type 4 dengue fever had earlier been detected, but only of persons who had recently traveled to the region and therefore been exposed to the virus.

The main worry is that the serotype 4 dengue fever has not been prevalent in New Caledonia for at least 30 years, authorities said, even though this year, a cumulated 1,000 cases of Type 1 dengue fever cases have already been reported.

Pasteur Institute virologist Dr. Aur?lie Guigon warned the main issue at stake was that although people in New Caledonia were now relatively immune to the Type 1 dengue fever, which has been present constantly in the French Pacific territory; it was not the case for Type 4.

?If the type 4 was to propagate, it would affect more people compared to the Type 1,? she stressed. ?The problem is that this virus has not circulated in New Caledonia, in epidemic mode, for about thirty years. So very few person have developed immunity against this serotype.

Since last week, New Caledonia has also stepped up its vigilance system with a systematic screening of all passengers arriving at the Noum?a-La Tontouta international airport.

The key tool is a state of the art heat-sensitive camera filming all arriving passengers, with a special focus on flights coming from neighboring countries currently affected by type 4 dengue fever epidemics, especially Fiji, where over 2,100 cases have so far been reported.

New Caledonia is currently facing a dengue type 1 epidemic, with over 1,000 cases reported.

The heat-sensitive camera, based on infrared technology, is monitoring all passengers in order to determine unusually high body temperature. When the remotely detected temperature exceeds 37.5 degrees Celsius, the arriving passenger, regardless on whether he is a local resident of a visiting foreigner, is then approached by health agents. He is then asked to fill in a form that will provide for a free dengue blood test at the local Pasteur medical institute.

Another copy of the same form is also simultaneously transmitted to the suspected passenger's place of residence, where local authorities are then asked to activate a targeted insecticide spraying campaign.

The targeted spraying is also known as "perifocal" tactics.

New Caledonia has stepped up its surveillance and awareness system, because an outbreak of the type 4 dengue fever, combined with the current type 1 already prevalent in the French Pacific territory, would have a disastrous impact.

New Caledonia has also stepped up its awareness campaign, in order to reinforce its message to the population.

While earlier media and television spots were stressing the need to clean up all potential mosquito breeding sites (still waters contained in old pots, tires, gutters, bushy areas in compounds), to use mosquito nets, personal repellents and wear long sleeves, the new message is banking on the fear factor.

Since last week, in the latest and to date most graphic spot, viewers can see a person die of dengue fever in hospital, surrounded by powerless doctors. The final message is: ?Dengue too can kill you.?

In French Polynesia, health authorities have also been placed on high alert, for the same reasons.

http://newspad-pacific.info/

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Source: http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/12/03/type-4-dengue-fever-cases-increase-in-new-caledonia

Type 4 Dengue Fever Cases Increase In New Caledonia
Wednesday: December 03, 2008

The number of reported cases of serotype 4 dengue fever, a form of the virus that was until recently not prevalent in New Caledonia, continues to rise in the northern part of the main island of the French Pacific territory, local media report.

A first type 4 case (found on a person who had not been traveling recently in the Pacific region, where Fiji is particularly affected with well over 2,000 cases) was detected last month, prompting local health authorities to express concern at a combined epidemic of the already prevalent serotype 1 of the mosquito-borne disease.

The other seven, more recent cases, were also found in the past few days on persons living in the suburbs of the northern town of Kon?, near the Melanesian village of Baco.
They include three confirmed cases of the serotype 4 while the serotype of the other four remains to be analyzed.

Health authorities said this was a clear sign that the disease was now beginning to spread on a local, not imported basis.

Over 1,000 of the serotype 1 dengue fever have already been diagnosed in New Caledonia since the beginning of this year.

Pasteur Institute virologist Dr. Aur?lie Guigon warned last month the main issue at stake was that although people in New Caledonia were now relatively immune to the Type 1 dengue fever, which has been present constantly in the French Pacific territory, it was not the case for Type 4.

?If the type 4 was to propagate, it would affect more people compared to the Type 1,? she stressed. ?The problem is that this virus has not circulated in New Caledonia, in epidemic mode, for about 30 years.

Since last month, New Caledonia has also stepped up its vigilance system with a systematic screening of all passengers arriving at the Noum?a-La Tontouta international airport.

The key tool is a state of the art heat-sensitive camera filming all arriving passengers, with a special focus on flights coming from neighboring countries currently affected by type 4 dengue fever epidemics.

The heat-sensitive camera, based on infrared technology, is monitoring all passengers in order to determine unusually high body temperature.

New Caledonia has also stepped up its awareness campaign, in order to reinforce its message to the population.

While earlier media and television spots were stressing the need to clean up all potential mosquito breeding sites (still waters contained in old pots, tires, gutters, bushy areas in compounds), to use mosquito nets, personal repellents and wear long sleeves, the new message is banking on the fear factor.

Since last month, in the latest and to date most graphic spot, viewers can see a person die of dengue fever in hospital, surrounded by powerless doctors. The punch line ending the message is: ?Dengue too can kill you.

http://newspad-pacific.info/

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

New Caledonia dengue fears


Health officials in New Caledonia say they are concerned by the continuing spread of dengue fever, with 53 new infections detected since the start of the year.

The French Pacific territory declared a dengue epidemic last year after some 1,100 people were infected.

The majority of cases were type one, but the country's head of health services Jean Paul Grangeon says they have noticed an increase in type four dengue, against which few people are vaccinated.

So far only one person has died from the infection in New Caledonia, which is transmitted by mosquitoes.

In 2003, a similar epidemic claimed the lives of at least 20 people.

http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/200901/2464301.htm?desktop

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Source: http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=44132


New Caledonia registers 50 type-4 dengue cases this year
Posted at 03:12 on 13 January, 2009 UTC

50 people have been infected with type-4 dengue in New Caledonia since the beginning of this year amid very hot and humid weather.

There are four different types of the day-biting mosquito-borne disease and anyone can be infected once with each type.

Last year, more than 1,000 people were diagnosed with type-1 dengue in the territory and one woman died.

Our correspondent, Claudine Wery, says officials are worried about the new outbreak and are raising community awareness.

?Health authorities ask the population to be very watchful, to use repellent and to destroy all larvae shelters. As soon as someone has dengue, insecticides are sprayed around the house. Small villages, especially on the eastern coast, are not prepared to do that.?

Claudine Wery says officials are refraining from universal spraying campaigns because mosquitoes became resistant to the chemicals in the past.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Source: http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=44398


Dengue epidemic worsens in New Caledonia

Posted at 01:54 on 27 January, 2009 UTC

The dengue epidemic is worsening in New Caledonia with almost 300 people now being affected since the beginning of the year.

There are four different types of the day-biting mosquito-borne disease and anyone can be infected once with each type.

The territory is currently suffering from type-4 dengue, after more than 1,000 people were infected with type one dengue last year.

Officials are continuing to raise community awareness and are encouraging people to use insect repellent at all times, and destroy or remove all larvae breeding sites, such as water containers.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Source: http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/200902/2484612.htm?desktop

New Caledonia's dengue outbreak now an epidemic

In New Caledonia, about 500 new cases of dengue fever have been detected this year, prompting local authorities to label the outbreak an epidemic.

Health and social department authorities say they are worried by the rapidly rising incidence of the disease, and say there have been 100 new cases in the past week alone.

Hotspots for the epidemic include the capital, Noum�a and its surrounding area, as well as the southern part of the main island.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Over 3,000 dengue fever cases reported in New Caledonia

here have been over 3,000 dengue fever cases reported in French territory of New Caledonia, including two fatalities, since the beginning of this year, according to latest official figures released on Friday.

New Caledonia's health and social department, in its latest bulletin, confirmed 3,172 cases since Jan. 1, the Oceania Flash reported.

The figures also showed a spiraling trend, month by month, with482 new cases for January, 1,557 cases in February and 1,133 new cases less than two weeks into March.

Earlier this week, the French government announced special funds to step up the fight against the intense epidemic.

Medical authorities at the main Gaston Bourret territorial hospital in Noumea have also expressed concern that their outpatients and emergency services were now overstretched due to patients seeking medical advice for dengue-like symptoms.

Medical authorities were now calling on the local government to act swiftly and set up a special dengue monitoring and outpatient unit, so as to relieve the burden on the general services.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/13/content_11006719.htm

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Source: http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/200903/2526457.htm?desktop

Third dengue patient dies in New Caledonia

New Caledonia's dengue epidemic has claimed a third victim.

Health authorities in the French Pacific territory say the dead man was in his 70s and from Koumac, a commune in the north eastern corner of the North Province.

He is reported to have died at the end of February just days after contracting the mosquito-borne infection.

He is the second person to have died of dengue in New Caledonia this year, and the third since the outbreak began in September last year.

Despite repeated attempts by the French government and local authorities to contain the epidemic, there have been more than 4,000 reported cases since September with over half of those recorded in March alone.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/26/content_11077854.htm

Dengue fever claims third victim in New Caledonia
www.chinaview.cn 2009-03-26 16:25:59

WELLINGTON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Dengue fever has claimed its third victim in New Caledonia, where the authorities were struggling to combat an epidemic that has so far infected 4,200 people, the Oceania Flash reported on Thursday.

The latest fatality was an elderly person from the North of the main island, the Oceania Flash quoted the Health and Social Affairs Department (DASS) officials as saying.

The health authorities were more alarmed than ever with the exponential rate of growth of the disease and at least one hundred new cases reported each day.

Another complicating factor was the current spell of rainy weather, which is boosting the proliferation of mosquito larvae in this hot and humid season.

Since the epidemic began in September last year, territorial health services, as well as those from the Provinces and the capital city of Noumea, have stepped up their efforts in order to sensitize the population to the need to observe basic prevention rules against dengue fever.

These included ridding compounds and house surroundings from any recipients or old tires that could retain still waters (where mosquito larvae can fast develop), use personal insect repellents, as well as mosquito nets to avoid insect bites.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Source: http://australianetworknews.com/stories/200903/2529681.htm?desktop

5,000 infected in New Caledonia dengue outbreak
Last Updated: 17 hours 32 minutes ago

Authorities in New Caledonia are struggling to combat a dengue fever epidemic that has so far seen more than 5,000 people infected.

There have been three deaths since the outbreak began last September.

Health authorities say they are alarmed at the rate of growth of the mosquito-borne disease.

At least 100 new cases are reported each day.

There have been 4,812 dengue cases reported since January and 2,763 since March.

In all, 5,001 people have contracted the illness since the start of the outbreak.

In French Polynesia, health authorities are also worried at the increasing number of dengue cases, with 76 reported this year.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Caledonia Dengue Cases

Source: http://www.cdnn.info/news/travel/t090702.html

New Caledonia dengue fever epidemic kills 4, sickens 8,674

Powered by CDNN - Cyber Diver News Network

July 2, 2009

NOUMEA, New Caledonia ? The mosquito-transmitted hemorrhagic dengue fever has claimed a fourth victim this week, health authorities announced on Wednesday.

The latest fatality for this year is reported to be a 41-year-old man who was believed not to be suffering any particular syndrome before death struck.

New Caledonia's health and social affairs department's latest update as at July 1 says in terms of dengue fever, the epidemic that has gripped the French Pacific territory since September last year has produced a total of 8,674 cases of infection, mostly of the serotype 4.

Since January 1, 2009, the cumulated figure stands at 8,485 cases.

The trend of the epidemic, however, has significantly slowed down since last month and a significant cooling of temperatures and humidity (the main factors for mosquito proliferation): the number of cases peaked at 3,412 cases in March, 2,269 in April, then 598 in May and 158 in June.

But the main concern for local health authorities was the risk for the epidemic to resume when the hot season comes back during the last quarter of this year.

Officials are maintaining the awareness campaign to advise the public to take advantage of the cooler conditions to make sure no potential breeding site for mosquitoes (old pots, tyres, bushes in the compound) is left.

Meanwhile, the cooler conditions are also perceived to have also contributed to a significant drop in cases of leptospirosis, which has also claimed the lives of eight persons this year and affected a total of 157.

Leptospirosis is a disease transmitted through animal waste (particularly rats, dogs, pigs) in still or muddy waters.

Like dengue fever, its symptoms include muscular and joint pains, headaches and fever.