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Otago Daily Times
05-08-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Dengue fever cases surging in New Zealand
The Asian tiger mosquito is one of the vectors responsible for transmitting dengue fever. Photo: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Doctors are being warned to be on alert for people with symptoms of dengue fever as the number of cases in New Zealand surges. National Public Health Service physician Dr Sharon Sime told Midday Report public health teams were also seeing a surge in cases among people returning home after picking up the illness overseas. Dengue cases in the Pacific are at their highest level in almost a decade. Samoa is particularly affected with more than 2000 cases reported and multiple deaths since an outbreak was declared in April. In New Zealand, there have been 208 cases of dengue nationally in the year to date. Of those, 103 were recorded in Auckland this year, double the amount recorded for all of 2024. Around a third of the cases so far this year have also ended up being hospitalised. "What's different with dengue fever is many people with dengue don't have symptoms," Dr Sime said. "So, the ones that we diagnose is likely an under representation of the number of cases." New Zealand does not have mosquitoes able to transmit dengue, so you can't get the disease in New Zealand, Dr Sime said. While you cannot catch dengue fever from another person, you can get it from infected mosquitoes in an area or region that has dengue, and there is no available vaccine in New Zealand. "At the moment, our climate wouldn't work for the particular type of mosquito that carries dengue. We do also have a monitoring programme at our airports and our ports where we are constantly monitoring for any imported mosquito, just so that we would get an early warning of any chance of these mosquitoes surviving in New Zealand," Dr Sime said. Symptoms of dengue fever include a sudden high fever, intense headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, tiredness, nausea, vomiting and a fine rash, which may be itchy and usually begins on the extremities, but spares the palms and soles of the feet. Many people infected with dengue will only have mild symptoms, but a small number of people may get severe dengue and require hospital care. Dr Susan Jack, National Clinical Director for National Public Health Service, said people over 60 years old and children aged 10 and under were also at greater risk of severe illness from dengue. Dr Jack said anyone travelling outside New Zealand to an area with dengue can protect themselves by: - Staying or sleeping in well-screened locations, or under mosquito nets - Keeping screens on doors and windows closed when indoors - Wearing light-coloured protective clothing, including, hats, long sleeves and trousers when outdoors - Wearing a repellent cream or spray containing less than 35 percent diethyltoluamide (DEET) when outdoors - Avoiding places where mosquitoes are most active, such as swampy areas or places with standing water.
RNZ News
05-08-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Doctors on alert as dengue fever cases surge among people returning from overseas
The Asian tiger mosquito is one of the vectors responsible for transmitting dengue fever. Photo: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Doctors are being warned to be on alert for people with symptoms of dengue fever as the number of cases in New Zealand surges. National Public Health Service physician Dr Sharon Sime told Midday Report public health teams are also seeing a surge in cases among people returning home after picking up the illness overseas. Dengue cases in the Pacific are at their highest level in almost a decade, with Samoa particularly affected with more than 2000 cases reported and multiple deaths since an outbreak was declared in April. In New Zealand, there have been 208 cases of dengue nationally in the year to date. Of those, 103 cases were recorded in Auckland this year, double the amount recorded for all of 2024. Around a third of the cases so far this year have also ended up being hospitalised. "What's different with dengue fever is many people with dengue don't have symptoms," Dr Sime said. "So, the ones that we diagnose is likely an under representation of the number of cases." New Zealand does not have mosquitoes able to transmit dengue, so you can't get the disease in New Zealand, Dr Sime said. While you cannot catch dengue fever from another person, you can get it from infected mosquitoes in an area or region that has dengue, and there is no available vaccine in New Zealand. "At the moment, our climate wouldn't work for the particular type of mosquito that carries dengue. We do also have a monitoring programme at our airports and our ports where we are constantly monitoring for any imported mosquito, just so that we would get an early warning of any chance of these mosquitoes surviving in New Zealand," Dr Sime said. Symptoms of dengue fever include a sudden high fever, intense headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, tiredness, nausea, vomiting and a fine rash, which may be itchy and usually begins on the extremities, but spares the palms and soles of the feet. Many people infected with dengue will only have mild symptoms, but a small number of people may get severe dengue and require hospital care. Dr Susan Jack, National Clinical Director for National Public Health Service, said people over 60 years old and children aged 10 and under are also at greater risk of severe illness from dengue. Dr Jack said if you're travelling outside Aotearoa New Zealand to an area with dengue, protect yourself by: Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
05-08-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Number of Dengue Fever cases in NZ doubles
Doctors are being warned to be on alert for people with symptoms of Dengue Fever as the number of cases in New Zealand doubles. National Public Health Service Public Health physician Dr Sharon Sime spoke to Charlotte Cook. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
NZ Herald
04-08-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Dengue fever outbreak: Samoan family lose second son to mosquito-borne illness
The post has been widely shared among the Samoan community in the islands and overseas. Rising death toll: 5 The Asian tiger mosquito is one of the vectors responsible for transmitting dengue fever. Photo / Science Photo Library Samoa's dengue fever death toll now officially stands at four – with the fifth death being deemed a probable case of dengue fever at this stage, authorities say. All have been children. Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa yesterday spoke of the nation's heartbreak at losing yet another child to dengue. 'On behalf of the Government and the people of Samoa, I extend our deepest condolences to the parents and families of the children we have lost,' he said. 'Our children are dear to us, and the loss of a young soul is utterly sorrowful. May the Holy Spirit comfort parents and families of the children we have lost. We remember you in these sorrowful times.' Also known as break-bone fever, dengue fever is a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people. Symptoms include sudden high fever, intensely sore joints and muscles, pain behind the eyes and a rash. Fumigation efforts have been carried out nationwide and schools have remained shut as a result of the outbreak. Samoa's health officials are ramping up fumigation efforts in the fight against dengue fever. As of Sunday, 5670 clinically diagnosed cases had been recorded since January, with just over 2600 of those identified as laboratory-confirmed cases. In the past week, 1446 new clinically diagnosed cases have been reported across Samoa's main islands of Upolu and Savai'i, including 342 new lab-confirmed cases. New Zealand health authorities have also reported a spike in dengue fever cases since the start of the year, with 34 confirmed incidents reported in Auckland last month in people coming back into the country. About half of those cases were acquired in Samoa, said National Public Health Service national clinical director Dr Susan Jack. The latest figures show 103 cases of dengue fever recorded in Auckland since January. That figure is double the number of cases recorded for all of last year when 54 cases were recorded. Fiame also called on parents and families to follow the official advice of health authorities and not to resort to traditional healing practices for dengue fever. 'For parents and guardians, please seek immediate medical assistance if your child develops dengue fever symptoms. 'Do not wait until it is too late. Early treatment can save lives.' 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.
RNZ News
22-07-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Twelve cases of Campylobacter reported in Nelson Tasman districts following severe flooding
Flooding in Nelson Tasman may have led to an outbreak of Campylobacter. Photo: Supplied/ Jodie Reed There have been 12 cases of Campylobacter reported in the Nelson Tasman districts over the past month, as the region deals with the aftermath of two severe flood events , Health NZ (HNZ) says. All bore water owners were asked to continue to boil their water as a precaution. Medical officer of health of the National Public Health Service, Dr Alexandra Greig, said it was an increase in gastrointestinal illness for the region compared to the same period in previous years. Dr Greig said seven of the 12 cases were potentially related to drinking water. However, Greig said the analysis could not directly link the outbreak to contamination caused by the flooding. "This analysis cannot differentiate flood-associated drinking water exposures from other drinking water exposures." HNZ earlier said floodwater and silt could be contaminated with faeces, and agricultural or industrial waste, and often carried bugs that could cause gastrointestinal illnesses. It said the number of cases does not capture people who had managed their symptoms at home without seeing a doctor. The National Public Health Service in Nelson-Marlborough would continue to enhance surveillance for gastrointestinal cases in the region that may be associated with flooding, given the increased risks in the area, the agency said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
