Another child is sixth dengue-related death in Samoa
123RF
A sixth dengue-related death has been confirmed by health authorities in Samoa as case numbers continue to climb.
Samoa's Ministry of Health has confirmed the sixth death which the
Herald
reported local officials confirming at the weekend was another child, this time a seven-year-old.
The previous two deaths at the end of last month and the start of this month were a
nine-year-old and his two-year-old brother
.
Figures released by the health ministry on Sunday show there have been 7970 clinically diagnosed dengue cases recorded in Samoa since January.
Of these, 2743 are laboratory-confirmed.
Eighty-eight per cent of reported cases have been from Upolu Island.
Young people aged under 15 years old make up 72 per cent of all cases.
Schools in Samoa are closed for a third straight week due to the outbreak, after first closing the week of 28 July with a fumigation campaign launched.
The ministry said in the week from 4-10 August, 1974 clincally diagnosed cases were recorded from all health facilities in Upolu and Savai'i.
New Zealand has sent a health team and $300,000 worth of medical supplies to Samoa
to assist with the outbreak
.
Outbreaks have also been reported in several other Pacific countries.
In Tonga, a study on dengue has found inconsistent prevention practices and misconceptions about the transmitting of the disease.
It showed 94 percent of Tongans are aware of dengue, and 81 percent know Aedes mosquitoes are the cause.
Ministry of Health CEO Dr Reynold Ofanoa shared a plan including household visits, village cleanups, and stronger local engagement.
In Bangladesh,
dengue has killed 101 people
and infected more than 24,000 so far this year.
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