Samoa declares dengue fever outbreak
The Ministry of Health hereby officially announces to the public that there is a Dengue Fever outbreak in Samoa.
There has been a significant increase in the number of confirmed cases from the island of Upolu over the past two weeks.
There are now fifteen (15) confirmed cases of Dengue Fever reported since January.
Nine (9) of these cases were reported within the past two weeks. Most of the confirmed cases were reported from Moto’otua General Hospital (TTM), and some were self-quarantined, and were later confirmed to have dengue fever.
Most of these cases have recovered and are doing well.
All of the reported cases are residents of the North West (Lauli’i to Mulifanua) villages. According to the records, the infected include children and the elderly. One (1) person has been confirmed to have died from the severe effects of this disease.
Dengue Fever is a contagious disease transmitted by mosquitoes. There are four types of dengue virus that cause this disease – DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4, and people can even get sick if they are infected with any of these types of the virus. If the person infected has reached the severe stage of this disease, they may die due to severe organ damage.
Common symptoms and signs of this disease include;
• Fever
• Severe headache
• Eye pain
• Joint pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Body aches
• Weakness and fatigue
The symptoms and signs indicate that the disease is very serious, and you should see a doctor immediately;
• Abdominal pain
• Increased joint pain
• Bleeding in some parts of the body (mouth), severe nausea, and vomiting blood
The Ministry of Health continues to monitor and track the spread of this disease in Samoa as well as other Pacific countries including Tonga, Fiji, and Tahiti.
We appeal to the public to work together to prevent the spread of this disease, by implementing basic precautions;
• Maintain good hygiene in the home
• Clean all areas and places where mosquitoes may be resting and breeding
• Use mosquito repellents and mosquito nets to protect yourself from mosquito bites
• Wear appropriate clothing to protect yourself from mosquito bites
• Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any symptoms