New Caledonia warns of dengue outbreak risk

Image illustrated dengue-virus. Image from https://segundoenfoque.com. Sketched by the Pan Pacific Agency.

NOUMEA, Jan 21, 2020, RNZ. New Caledonians are being urged to take utmost care so as not to trigger another dengue type 2 epidemic. The government said most recent infections had been brought in from French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna, which were being affected by an outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease, Radio New Zealand reported.

Travellers returning from those two destinations are advised to keep using insect repellents for a week, and should they feel unwell they are urged to contact a doctor immediately.

The virus arrived in French Polynesia from New Caledonia last February infecting more than 2000 people since.

The epidemic has however stabilised in French Polynesia while in Wallis and Futuna the propagation of the disease prompted authorities in November to declare an epidemic.

New Caledonia, whose last epidemic ended in September, is keen for the public to heed its warnings.

In the last epidemic 3800 people contracted dengue type 2, resulting in over 360 people hospitalised and two deaths.

Share it


Exclusive: Beyond the Covid-19 world's coverage