Latest news with #MisiafaLene
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- Health
- NZ Herald
Dengue fever outbreak: New Zealand steps in to help as Samoa grapples with deaths
'We are closely monitoring the dengue situation across the Pacific and stand ready to consider other requests for support.' Young brothers among death toll Other countries that have declared a dengue fever outbreak in the past few months are Tonga, the Cook Islands and Fiji. Dengue fever, also known as break-bone fever, is a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people and causes symptoms that include sudden high fever, intensely sore joints and muscles, pain behind the eyes and a rash. Fumigation efforts have been under way in Samoa this week as it deals with a dengue fever outbreak. Photo / Govt of Samoa The official death toll in Samoa stands at four, with a fifth death – a 2-year-old boy who died over the weekend – being deemed as a probable dengue-related death at this stage. The boy is the youngest person to have lost their life over the past few months. His death came just a few days after his older brother, 9, succumbed to the same disease last week. Their deaths follow that of a 5-year-old girl, whose death was declared by local health authorities on Monday last week. The first death reported in Samoa was 12-year-old Misiafa Lene, who contracted the disease in April and died a week later, despite his family's efforts to medically evacuate him to Starship children's hospital in Auckland. Speaking to the Herald at the time, his parents described the nightmare they were living. 'The pain is beyond anything. We don't want another family to go through what we are going through.' As of Sunday, a total of 5670 clinically diagnosed cases of dengue have been recorded since January. Of those, just over 2600 are laboratory-confirmed cases, according to the Samoan Government's latest figures. Last week, 1446 new clinically diagnosed cases were reported across Upolu and Savai'i – Samoa's two main islands – and included 342 new lab-confirmed cases. Samoa has shut down all schools as fumigation programmes start in the country's fight against dengue fever. Photo / Govt of Samoa Samoa's main hospital, near Apia, has had to make changes to its day-to-day operations to keep up with the surging cases of dengue fever among the community. Those changes include revised operating hours for general outpatients, with only patients with dengue-like symptoms being attended to from 6pm until morning. People with mild dengue-like symptoms, including fever, headache and joint pain without warning signs, are encouraged to stay home and manage symptoms with adequate hydration and paracetamol. Travellers: Pack insect repellent MFAT said it had not been approached for assistance by any New Zealanders in Samoa. However, people due to travel to Samoa, particularly those with children, are being urged to heed safety messages. People are advised to pack insect repellent, protective clothing and use mosquito nets when sleeping – especially for children, the elderly and pregnant women. An influx of Samoan community members from overseas, particularly from New Zealand and Australia, is set to head to Samoa over the next few weeks before the country's general elections this month. Although the majority of the dengue fever cases and all of the dengue-related deaths have been children, elderly members of the public are also vulnerable to the mosquito-borne viral illness. 'Travellers to Samoa should always take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites,' MFAT authorities say. 'We encourage all travellers to follow the dengue fever prevention advice on our SafeTravel website and further information.' Travellers to Samoa are also being encouraged to take out comprehensive travel insurance that includes medical evacuation in case of an emergency. People should also register their details on MFAT's SafeTravel site. Vaimoana Mase is the Pasifika editor for the Herald's Talanoa section, sharing stories from the Pacific community. She won junior reporter of the year at the then Qantas Media Awards in 2010 and won the best opinion writing award at the 2023 Voyager Media Awards.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Urgent warning to Aussie travellers as worst outbreak in 10 years strikes Pacific nations
Australian travellers are being warned to take caution when visiting several popular holiday destinations in the Pacific, as dengue fever cases spike to their highest numbers in a decade. Thousands of people have been infected in multiple countries and at least two children have died, with the virus affecting an alarmingly high number of young people. There are currently more than 18,000 suspected cases of dengue in the Pacific, with that number still expected to rise. Among the countries with a confirmed outbreak are Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, the Cook Islands and Kiribati. Other countries, including French Polynesia, American Samoa, Nauru and Tuvalu, have also reported cases of dengue fever. The mosquito-borne virus has similar symptoms to a bad flu or Covid virus, which can make it difficult to diagnose without a blood test. Symptoms typically include sudden fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting and a faint red rash. The latest data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows the disease has spread the most rapidly in Fiji, Tonga and French Polynesia. Two children die after getting dengue Officials in Samoa reported that a staggering 87 per cent of the infected have been children and teenagers. On July 13, eight-year-old Faith Melchoir became the second child in the country to die from dengue. The first was 12-year-old Misiafa Lene, who died in New Zealand after being flown out of Samoa on an emergency medevac flight back in April. The nation's government even delayed the start of term 3 for some primary schools this week due to the increasing number of children infected with the virus. Dr Nancy Wong from the World Health Organisation Representative Office for the South Pacific told Yahoo News there's a reason why young people are more highly represented in the statistics. "Because being infected with a strain of dengue usually provides lifelong immunity against that strain, children can be at much higher risk of being infected when the strain is reintroduced into the country," she said. "Many adults would have been infected previously, meaning they are protected from reinfection with that strain." There are four strains of dengue, with two currently in the Pacific. Once someone recovers from the disease, they generally get life-long immunity — but only to that strain. Dr Wong said there are a number of factors that are contributing to the surge in cases this year. These include: Increased rainfall and higher temperatures that mosquitoes favour. Climate change can contribute to these weather conditions Increased international movement of people, and the possibility of a person infected with a different strain arriving in a new country Large gaps between outbreaks can mean there is a new generation of people who haven't previously been exposed to the virus Stronger disease surveillance and reporting can appear to raise the number of cases The WHO advises that even a bottle cap can contain enough water for a mosquito to breed, and urges locals to do their part to clean up any potential mosquito breeding sites. Drains, gutters, bottles, buckets, wheelbarrows and even spare tyres could all collect water and turn into a breeding ground. Should Aussie travellers be worried? Making the decision to postpone or cancel a trip due to a dengue outbreak is an entirely personal choice. While no experts are advising that affected countries be avoided, the SmartTraveller website does suggest to use caution when visiting some of the Pacific nations. Dr Wong said those headed to any tropical destinations — not just in the Pacific — should be aware of the risks. "Dengue fever is widespread globally, it's estimated that about half the world's population is now at risk," she said. "So being aware of dengue and how to protect yourself is very important for travellers to many parts of the world, and particularly to tropical and subtropical countries. "The types of mosquitoes that can spread dengue bite during the day, and especially in the few hours after dawn, and the few hours before sunset." Dr Wong added the best way to lower the risk of getting the disease is to: wear clothes that cover as much of your body as possible use mosquito nets for sleeping during the day, ideally nets sprayed with insect repellent use door and window screens use mosquito repellents (containing DEET, Picaridin or IR3535) use coils and vaporisers. "Dengue fever often causes no symptoms, but in some people, it can be a severe and life-threatening illness," she said. "It's important to understand the symptoms of dengue and especially severe dengue, and to seek medical care if you experience these symptoms." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Scoop
17-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Pacific News In Brief For 17 July
Samoa - dengue A dengue fever outbreak in Samoa has claimed the life of a second child. The Sāmoa Observer reports Faith Melchior, 8, died in hospital on Monday night. She is the second child to die from dengue in Sāmoa this year - 12-year-old Misiafa Lene died in April. Fiji, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Tonga, French Polynesia and American Sāmoa have also declared outbreaks. Tuvalu and Nauru are on alert for the disease. Pacific - trade A meeting of trade ministers from the Pacific Island Forum's African, Caribbean and Pacific States is underway in Suva. New Zealand's Nicola Grigg said it is a timely opportunity to discuss the importance of the rules-based trading system, with the World Trade Organisation at its core. She said the structure is vital for small Pacific island nations, including New Zealand. Vanuatu/France - cable France is committing around US$20 to new undersea technology linking Vanuatu and New Caledonia, which will better prepare the Pacific for natural disasters. SMART will be the world's first Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunications submarine cable. French Ambassador to Vanuatu Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer said the cable will be fitted with sensors to measure sea temperature and seismic activity. He said it will help monitor climate change and - crucially - provide early warnings for tsunamis. The Vanutu Daily Post reported that the cable is expected to be in operation sometime next year. It will link Port Vila with Lifou Island in New Caledonia's Loyalty Islands group, traversing the seismically active New Hebrides Trench. Vanuatu - election Vanuatu's Electoral Commission says the verification of ballot boxes for the recent Provincial and By-Elections should be completed later today. According to the Vanuatu Daily Post, once that is done, the Commission can officially announce final results. The election was held on 8 July and attracted good voter turnout. The Commission has thanked all who participated - describing the election process as smooth and peaceful. Political parties have already begun lobbying to form new provincial governments. Fiji - HIV Fiji's HIV prevention taskforce says the country's law enforcement is actively hindering public health efforts. The United Nations reports a massive surge in HIV cases last year - numbers are up 284 percent. Around half of all cases were caused by intravenous drug use. Taskforce chair Dr Jason Mitchell told Pasifika TV there is a concerning lack of cooperation between the health sector and police. Northern Marianas - cuts Schools in the Northern Marianas are bracing for a possible fiscal cliff, according to the Board of Education. Governor Arnold Palacios is planning substantial cuts to the education budget allocation. The government is proposing a US$40 million dollar grant but the Public School System has requested just over 49 million dollars. Board of Education has testified that if the government's proposal is implemented they could be forced to declare a state of emergency in education.
