Pacific Magazine > Daily News

Dengue Outbreak Worsens In American Samoa

By Fili Sagapolutele in Pago Pago
Saturday: October 04, 2008

American Samoa public health officials are urging the public to take seriously the latest dengue fever outbreak. Confirmed cases of dengue in the territory have already surpassed last year’s total of 109.

Department of Heath statistics released last night by Medical Director Dr. Ivan Tuliau show that as of Sept. 30, confirmed dengue cases this year reached 162. There has been one fatality, a 10-year-old boy.

According to the Health Department, there were 11 reported cases between January and June; 5 cases in July and 31 in August.

“Dengue cases increased drastically after the 10th Festival of the Pacific Arts,” hosted by American Samoa from July 20 to Aug. 2nd, said Tuliau.

“We were hoping the number of cases this year would not surpass last year,” he said. “This situation is getting worse for American Samoa and we are looking at a number of ways to get the message out to the public on preventive measures.”

Dengue fever, which is transmitted by the bite of certain mosquitoes, is a potentially fatal communicable disease. Symptoms include: fever, severe headaches, pains in the body and joints, nausea, vomiting, eye pain, and rash.

The Health Department has identified the most common mosquito breeding sites in the territory as unused tires, drums, buckets, old appliances, ice cream containers, folded plastic, tin cans, plastic, Styrofoam containers, and plastic bags.

These particular items, commonly found around people’s homes and immediate surroundings, need to be disposed of as soon as possible, the department said.

Tuliau said Health Department officials have already met to discuss new outreach programs. The department is sending a team to all schools in the territory to get students involved in cleaning their surroundings, especially areas where mosquitoes breed.

A Department of Education official said the agency supports the Health Department campaign and is working on a time schedule to reach all public schools in the territory.  The departments also plan to approach private schools.

Additionally, the Health Department is planning to step up a media campaign and the first move is to carry a weekly update on dengue cases, starting next Monday, in the
Samoa News.

“We are also open to any suggestions as to how best to reach the community in our public awareness campaign,” Tuliau added.

He said many of the dengue cases are in “clustered” where homes are close together. “But our information shows the dengue cases are from all over the territory,” he said.

The Health Department has issued a statement saying “we implore our community to step up cleaning efforts around the home, village and school areas to help promote the eradication of mosquito breeding sites.”

The last dengue fever outbreak in American Samoa occurred in 2001, with 1,600 cases with three deaths.

Tuliau also points out that dengue cases are on the rise in the region and it has become a pandemic concern for health officials including the World Health Organization.

According to the latest health report from the region, Fiji and New Caledonia have been hit hard with each country recording 1,000 dengue cases so far this year.