Samoa church communities urged to combat dengue fever

Dozens of children are in the country’s main hospital and two children have died from the disease this year.

The Samoan Government has announced the closure of all schools nationwide, with fumigation programmes to be carried out.

Dengue fever, also known as break-bone fever, is a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people.

Church communities and villages in Samoa are being encouraged to have clean-up efforts in a bid to keep mosquitoes away.

The WHO advises that even a bottle cap can contain enough water for a mosquito to breed. The advice is 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.

Samoa declared a major dengue fever outbreak the week after the death of 12-year-old Misiafa Lene, who died in New Zealand after being flown out of Samoa on an emergency medevac flight in April.

Cases have continued to surge, however, with 1756 recorded between January to July 20 and an average of 100 new cases each week.

Children and young people remain the most affected. On July 13, eight-year-old Faith Melchoir became the second child in the country to die from dengue.

As part of the Ministry of Health’s fumigation programmes in schools, government buildings and the National University of Samoa are also being sprayed.

Other parts of the Pacific have also declared dengue fever outbreaks over the last few months, including Tonga and the Cook Islands. Tonga has reported three deaths and its most affected group are youngsters aged between 10 and 19.

FULL STORY

Samoa shuts down schools as dengue fever cases surge (By Vaimoana Mase/New Zealand Herald)

Urgent warning to Aussie travellers as worst outbreak in 10 years strikes Pacific nations (Yahoo News)