Dengue Fever outbreak declared for Samoa

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, SAMOA -19 April 2024: A Dengue Fever outbreak has been declared for Samoa after 216 cases have been confirmed.

The Director General of Health, Aiono Dr. Alec Ekeroma declared the outbreak during a press conference last night.

The 216 cases were recorded between November 2023 and April 2024 and 81 news cases were recorded in the last two weeks.

Aiono said the number of cases continue to rise that promoted them to inform Cabinet who in turn endorse the declaration of the outbreak.

Asked why they waited 5 months to declare it, Aiono said there are criteria that need to be met in the definition of an outbreak.

“Those criteria have been met based on the number of confirmed cases so we need to declare the outbreak of dengue fever,” said Aiono.

The confirmed cases were picked up when people went into the hospital for medical checks and some of the patients are now admitted at the Faleolo Medical Centre.

The most vulnerable areas based on recorded cases are between the Vaimauga districts and Leulumoega and Siusega.

Aiono said Samoa has experienced dengue fever outbreaks before and there were recorded deaths but he could not identify the exact number.

The Faleolo Medical Centre where some of the patients are admitted.

Mass fumigation & clean-up campaign
Aiono said the Ministry of Health and its stakeholders including other ministries are now engaged in conducting awareness programs with the media through radio and television and news updates to the print media.

They are also looking at a mass clean-up campaign to rid mosquito sites which are the cause of dengue fever.

“We are going to do a mass fumigation campaign bases on requests and we call on the district councils to assist us in this campaign,” said Aiono.

The ministry will conduct staff training on using chemicals for fumigation campaign. The fumigation campaign will also target schools.

They have also taken on board a suggestion to reduce tax on imported mosquito mortein sprays and other chemicals that will help in the campaign against dengue fever.

The ministry is also collaborating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) office in Apia for more chemicals if needed.

Early in the week, Samoa hosted the Pacific Heads of Health Meeting where issues of concerns were discussed and with various diseases circulating the Pacific, dengue fever was one of the main issues.

Symptoms of Dengue Fever include
The dengue fever symptoms include high fever, severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands and rash.

The Ministry is encouraging public sanitation around their residences and disposing containers, used tyres and other objects that hold waste water and to use mosquito nets.