Pacific Waves for 17 July 2025
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RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Travellers to Pacific cautioned against mosquito bites as dengue fever cases soar
Lautoka City Council carrying out anti mosquito spraying after a Dengue Clean Up campaign in April. Photo: Ministry of Health & Medical Services - Fiji Travellers heading to the Pacific are being told to protect themselves from mosquito bites, as cases of dengue fever soar to the highest level in almost a decade. Health New Zealand said Samoa has been particularly affected by the disease, with more than 2000 cases reported since 17 April. Some people have died after becoming infected. Dr Susan Jack said 34 confirmed cases have been reported in Auckland in July alone from people returning from the Pacific. Around half of those cases were acquired in Samoa. In the seven months to the end of July, there have been 103 cases recorded in Auckland, double the amount of the whole of last year. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Nauru is the latest Pacific nation to report dengue deaths
Photo: lamyai/123RF Nauru's Health Department has confirmed two deaths related to dengue fever: a 15-year-old boy and a seven-year-old girl. The Department said over the past two months, RON Hospital and Public Health have conducted 665 tests on adults and children, with 222 confirmed dengue cases and the majority being children under the age of 10. The first reported case of dengue fever in Nauru was on 27 June. The community is urged to use mosquito repellent, dress children in protective clothing, and empty water-holding containers. Dr David Bill said the tragic losses are a painful reminder of the seriousness of dengue infection, "especially among our most vulnerable population." Meanwhile, a fourth death has been reported in Samoa - a nine-year-old boy. Deaths from dengue have also been reported in Fiji. ReliefWeb, a service of the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, reports outbreaks have been declared in American Samoa on 8 July (12 lab-confirmed cases as of 21 July); Rarotonga on 22 May (73 confirmed cases as of 23 July); Kiribati on 24 April (375 confirmed cases as of 28 July); Samoa on 17 April (2277 confirmed cases as of 27 July); Tonga on 19 February (904 confirmed cases as of 25 July) and Tuvalu on 5 June (37 confirmed cases as of 28 July). The World Health Organisation's Pacific technical support director Dr Mark Jacobs told Pacific Waves last week that July regional data showed the number of suspected dengue cases was 18,766 - the highest since 2016 .
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
What you need to know about emergency medical care in New Zealand
Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi Frontline ambulance crews responded to more than 450,000 incidents nationwide in 2024, according to latest data compiled by Hato Hone St John. But do users need to pay for an ambulance if one is called to transport them to an emergency medical centre? And why does it sometimes take so long to see a doctor after arriving at an emergency department? In a medical emergency, it's good to know the answers to these questions and more ahead of the incident. Here's what you need to know about New Zealand's emergency healthcare system. Police advise people in a medical emergency to call 111 and ask for an ambulance if either someone has: Communications centres located in various parts of the country receive 111 emergency calls and coordinate the deployment of air or ground resources. In the event of a medical emergency, the communications centre will assign the most appropriate emergency unit to the scene. In most parts of New Zealand, ambulance services are provided by Hato Hone St John. In Wellington, they are offered by Wellington Free Ambulance. Large public hospitals have emergency departments, which operate 24/7 and are staffed with on-duty physicians around the clock. Find the locations of emergency departments nationwide here . It's important to note that New Zealand's emergency system is primarily supported by the public healthcare system. While some private hospitals do offer emergency medical services, insurance providers sometimes exclude emergency costs incurred at private facilities. Emergency departments typically do not provide non-urgent medical treatment. However, if a patient or injured person is near an emergency department and the condition is critical, they can be taken directly to the facility without waiting for 111 dispatch. Critical conditions include such things as heavy bleeding, broken major bones, bad burns, chest pain, issues related to breathing or consciousness, mental health emergencies, severe allergic reactions and injuries due to an accident (for example, a car crash). If an injured or ill person is a long way from an emergency department, police advise people to call 111 for an ambulance. Yes - and it's not cheap. For example, Hato Hone St John reports that each emergency deployment costs around $1000. However, users of the service are not charged the full amount. Citizens, residents or those with work visas exceeding two years are charged $125 per callout. For ambulance calls responding to an injury, whether a patient pays depends on the timing the service is provided. If the service is used within 24 hours of injury, Accident Compensation Corporation covers the cost. If more than 24 hours have passed, the patient bears the cost. It's worth noting that you might be charged a callout fee if someone else calls the ambulance on your behalf. For overseas visitors or short-term visa holders who are not eligible for public healthcare, callout charges can be as high as $800. Sometimes people question why they don't receive immediate treatment upon arrival at the emergency department. Upon arrival, emergency departments use a triage scale to assess and prioritize patients based on urgency. In New Zealand, emergency departments follow the Australian triage scale , which has five levels, with level one being the most critical and level five the least. Level five includes non-urgent issues, sometimes even administrative matters (e.g. consultations, prescriptions), and wait times can be as long as two hours. Level one includes life-threatening conditions that require immediate attention and take top priority. Additionally, there is a distinction between "emergency care" and "urgent care". Emergency care focuses on life-threatening conditions and often involves trauma cases (surgical). Urgent care is for less critical medical issues, with some clinics equipped to provide this service. How much one pays to receive emergency care depends on whether one qualifies for public healthcare. National health services directory Healthpoint says emergency care fees for short-term visa holders start at $566.72 per visit. Stays exceeding 10 hours will cost short-term visa holders at least $1768.47. Additional charges may also apply depending on the treatment provided, Healthpoint says. Emergency departments prioritize saving lives. Medical staff cannot verify a patient's public healthcare status during treatment. If a patient is ineligible, they will receive an invoice for the medical care they receive after treatment. Starship Hospital in Auckland provides a dedicated pediatric emergency department for children aged 0-14, although sometimes older teenagers with acute conditions may also be treated there. In other cities, larger hospitals usually have specialized pediatric services within their individual emergency departments. Emergency dental care is available, but not through an emergency department in most cases. Instead, dental clinics handle this type of care separately. Many offer after-hours emergency services, but routine dental treatment should be arranged with your regular dentist. However, if an accident causes a dental, oral, or gum injury, the injury may be treated during a visit to a regular emergency department. Some translation services are available at many hospitals nationwide. Upon arrival at a hospital, patients or injured people should ask staff to request assistance from an interpreter or arrange translation services online or by phone. If a person is ill or injured but does not need emergency care, Health New Zealand advises them to visit an urgent care clinic or consult their GP at the earliest appointment. They can also contact Healthline for free advice on 0800 611 116. Additionally, a pharmacy can provide advice and support for minor injuries.
