Pacific Dengue Cases Surge, But Don't Cancel Your Holiday Yet
Dr Marc Shaw advises travellers to use insect repellent and light clothing, warning that although dengue fever is serious, it is largely preventable.A public health expert is urging anyone travelling to places with a current dengue fever outbreak to be vigilant and take sensible precautions – but stresses the chances of contracting the disease are low.
On Friday the Cook Islands declared an outbreak of the viral infection, which is spread by mosquitoes, in Rarotonga. Outbreaks have also been declared in Samoa, Fiji and Tonga.
Across the Tasman, this year has seen a cluster of cases in Townsville and Cairns in Queensland.
Last month a 12-year-old boy died in Auckland after being medically evacuated from Samoa, with severe dengue fever.
Dr Marc Shaw, a medical director at Worldwise Travellers Health Care and a professor in public health and tropical diseases at James Cook University in Townsville, said New Zealanders travelling to places with dengue fever outbreaks should take precautions to protect themselves against mosquito bites but it was important to be pragmatic.
'Yes, people are getting dengue fever, but considering the number of people that are travelling to these regions, we have to be pragmatic and think about our own circumstances.
'[Just] because you're travelling to the region, it does not mean that you're going to get the disease.
'We should just maintain vigilance and look to protect ourselves in the best ways we can, and having a holiday in these regions should not be avoided.'
Shaw said light-coloured clothes were best as mosquitoes were attracted to dark colours.
'They also tend to be more attracted to perfumes and scents.
'Two hours on either side of dusk and dawn is the time most mosquito bites occur. Mosquitoes also tend to be attracted a lot more to ankles and wrists.'
But the best form of protection was a high-strength mosquito repellent containing the active ingredient Diethyl-meta-toluamide or DEET, he said.
'The dengue fever mosquito is quite a vicious mosquito and tends to be around at this particular time of the year. It's good to apply a repellent of around about 40 percent [strength] and that will give about eight to 10 hours of protection.'
Dengue fever was 'probably the worst fever anyone could get', he added.
'Unfortunately, it tends to cause a temperature, sweats, fevers, rashes, and it has a condition which is called breakbone fever, where you get the most painful and credibly painful joints around the elbows. In its most sinister form, it can cause bleeding.'
Most people recovered from dengue fever, but those who caught the disease again were much more vulnerable to it, he added.
'Under those circumstances, it is worthwhile discussing with a travel health physician as it is perhaps appropriate that they have a dengue fever vaccine, which is just out.'
Shaw said the virus would start to wane in the affected regions from now on as the Pacific region and Queensland head into the drier winter months.
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