2 days ago
Pacific news in brief for 20 August
An illustration of the bacteria Bordetella pertussis, which causes whooping cough.
Photo:
123RF
The
Vanuatu Daily Post
is reporting the country's Ministry of Health has declared an outbreak of whooping cough.
Over the past two weeks, the Ministry has recorded an increase in suspected cases.
The paper reported that laboratory testing has confirmed that seven out of eight samples sent to the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory in Australia tested positive for Bordetella pertussis.
All confirmed cases involved unvaccinated children under the age of five.
A supplementary food programme has been launched for pregnant women and toddlers in West Papua.
Indonesia's
Antara
news agency reports the collaboration between the Jayapura City Government in Papua and UNICEF aims to reduce stunting.
Running from 2025 to 2026, the program will target nine priority health centres and posts.
It will also include vitamin A distribution, routine growth monitoring, and the use of electronic data systems to track effectiveness.
Food gardens in Bosset Village, in Papua New Guinea's Middle Fly District, have been severely damaged by three months of flooding.
The
Post-Courier
reported the crops such as kaukau, cassava, and bananas have been affected, as well as sago, the staple food for Middle Fly communities.
Flooding has swamped the sago areas, making harvesting difficult.
The starch content has dropped and residents say it can take an entire day to find one suitable palm.
Bosset Village has faced these challenges for years, often paddling long distances to neighboring areas such as Wangawanga and Aiambak to process sago.
The Bosset community has conducted flood assessments and is now appealing to authorities and stakeholders for urgent assistance.
Fiji is looking at banning social media for under 16-year-olds, amid rising concerns over misinformation and online harm.
The state broadcaster reported Communications Minister Manoa Kamikamica believes false content has contributed to youth suicide.
Kamikamica said Fiji is in the early stages of reviewing social media laws, with potential restrictions and regulations likely to be debated within the next year.
He said the Online Service Commission lacks clout and reforms will be considered alongside new legislation.
Tourism in Fiji jumped 7.1 percent last month compared to July 2024.
The Fiji Times
reported Bureau of Statistics data showing there were 99,311 tourists for the month.
Most visitors came for holidays or to visit family and friends, while a minority visited for business purposes.
Australians made up the bulk of the tourists, followed by New Zealanders, Americans, Europeans and Chinese.
