Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Solomons Officials Worry About Dengue Cases
Tuesday: September 09, 2008
(Solomon Star)<o
></o>
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Solomon Islands</st1lace></st1:country-region> health authorities detected two suspected dengue fever cases recently.
Honiara City Council chairman for Health Tom Lolemae said the two cases were detected at the <st1lace w:st="on"><st1lacename w:st="on">National</st1lacename> <st1lacename w:st="on">Referral</st1lacename> <st1lacetype w:st="on">Hospital</st1lacetype></st1lace>. Lolemae warned there could be undetected cases around.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Dr. George Malefoasi said he’s going to make a proper report on the issue.
Dengue fever is an acute febrile disease cause by the bite of infected Aedes Aeqypti mosquitoes.
Lolemae said it’s believed those who been recently to <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">American Samoa</st1:state></st1lace> for the festival of arts may have brought the disease here.
He said dengue fever is an exotic disease that should have been prevented at ports of entries.
“Because dengue fever is not normally present here, any case is an outbreak,” Lolemae said. “In other words, dengue is an exotic disease and can only be brought into the country by an infected returning national or nationals or tourists coming from where dengue fever is endemic or present.”
Lolemae said the World Health Organization recently issued a dengue fever warning to the <st1lace w:st="on"><st1lacename w:st="on">Fiji</st1lacename> <st1lacetype w:st="on">Islands</st1lacetype></st1lace>. This followed an outbreak of the disease in neighboring <st1:country-region w:st="on">Tonga</st1:country-region>, <st1:state w:st="on">New Caledonia</st1:state>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Kiribati</st1:country-region>, <st1:state w:st="on">American Samoa</st1:state> and <st1lace w:st="on">Samoa</st1lace>.
“The warning is also relevant to us,” he said.
He said the Honiara City Council is worried about the suspected cases because the mosquito that transmits the disease is present here. Lolemae said a mid 1980s entomology survey confirmed Aedes Aeqypti mosquito that transmits the disease were present in the country.
He said since then subsequent sporadic outbreak of dengue fever continued in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Honiara</st1lace></st1:city> but not on a bigger scale. Lolemae warned that there is still no specific treatment for dengue illness.
He said communities should take practical preventive control measures such as:
http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/09/09/solomons-officials-worry-about-dengue-cases
Tuesday: September 09, 2008
(Solomon Star)<o
></o><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1
lace w:st="on">Solomon Islands</st1lace></st1:country-region> health authorities detected two suspected dengue fever cases recently.Honiara City Council chairman for Health Tom Lolemae said the two cases were detected at the <st1
lace w:st="on"><st1lacename w:st="on">National</st1lacename> <st1lacename w:st="on">Referral</st1lacename> <st1lacetype w:st="on">Hospital</st1lacetype></st1lace>. Lolemae warned there could be undetected cases around.Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Dr. George Malefoasi said he’s going to make a proper report on the issue.
Dengue fever is an acute febrile disease cause by the bite of infected Aedes Aeqypti mosquitoes.
Lolemae said it’s believed those who been recently to <st1
lace w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">American Samoa</st1:state></st1lace> for the festival of arts may have brought the disease here.He said dengue fever is an exotic disease that should have been prevented at ports of entries.
“Because dengue fever is not normally present here, any case is an outbreak,” Lolemae said. “In other words, dengue is an exotic disease and can only be brought into the country by an infected returning national or nationals or tourists coming from where dengue fever is endemic or present.”
Lolemae said the World Health Organization recently issued a dengue fever warning to the <st1
lace w:st="on"><st1lacename w:st="on">Fiji</st1lacename> <st1lacetype w:st="on">Islands</st1lacetype></st1lace>. This followed an outbreak of the disease in neighboring <st1:country-region w:st="on">Tonga</st1:country-region>, <st1:state w:st="on">New Caledonia</st1:state>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Kiribati</st1:country-region>, <st1:state w:st="on">American Samoa</st1:state> and <st1lace w:st="on">Samoa</st1lace>.“The warning is also relevant to us,” he said.
He said the Honiara City Council is worried about the suspected cases because the mosquito that transmits the disease is present here. Lolemae said a mid 1980s entomology survey confirmed Aedes Aeqypti mosquito that transmits the disease were present in the country.
He said since then subsequent sporadic outbreak of dengue fever continued in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1
lace w:st="on">Honiara</st1lace></st1:city> but not on a bigger scale. Lolemae warned that there is still no specific treatment for dengue illness.He said communities should take practical preventive control measures such as:
- Destruction of the adult mosquitoes by spraying with residual insecticides
- Elimination of breeding places and good environmental management of our homes and surrounding
- Prevention of mosquito bites by using mosquito bed net and mosquito repellents
- Quick reporting of suspected case to the Health Authority.
http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/09/09/solomons-officials-worry-about-dengue-cases