With a dengue fever outbreak and one confirmed dengue death in Samoa, the Department of Health is urging residents to be vigilant in keeping the territory dengue-free.
There is no cure or vaccination for dengue fever, and the best protection is prevention, says DOH. Dengue is caused by a virus, which is spread by mosquitoes. Dr. Erika Sipili, Medical Director at DOH, says families should take the time to get rid of places where mosquitoes breed, such as tires, empty cans, empty drums, and other containers.
Play Audio
Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, eye pain, sore muscles and bones, headache, joint pain, nausea, and a rash.
Other countries that have declared outbreaks of dengue fever are Fiji and Tonga. Radio New Zealand reported that the Cook Islands has recorded four confirmed cases of dengue fever.
