Another child dies from dengue in Samoa - more than 2200 cases since January
Photo:
Samoa Ministry of Health
A third child has reportedly died from dengue fever in Samoa.
Samoa has recorded more than 2270 dengue cases since the start of the year.
In its lastest update, for the week of 21-27 July, the Ministry of Health reported there were 1350 dengue-like illness cases reported, 521 of which were laboratory-confirmed to be dengue fever.
Local media are reporting a third dengue death from the country - a five-year-old who died at Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital.
The child's mother told the
Samoa Observer:
"She had a fever, was vomiting, and she kept saying her head and tummy hurt. We took her to the hospital on Sunday, and by Tuesday at 8am, she passed away. I miss her every moment."
There is also an unconfirmed report of a fourth death - another child.
The Health Ministry said that, of lab-confirmed cases, 71 percent of those affected are under 15 years old.
It is reiterating its messages for people to clean up and remove stagnant water sources which are potential breeding sites for mosquitoes; and to wear suitable clothing and use mosquito nets and repellents.
The Oceania Football Confederation said it is
monitoring the outbreak with the under-16 women's championship scheduled to begin on Friday
.
Last week, the World Health Organisation's Pacific technical support director Dr Mark Jacobs told
Pacific Waves
that July regional data showed the number of suspected dengue cases
at 18,766 - the highest since 2016
.
A breakdown of the WHO July data showed spread of the disease had been highest in Fiji, which had 13,702 suspected cases, followed by Tonga (2087) and French Polynesia or Mā'ohi Nui (1079).
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