Dengue fever outbreak reported in Cook Islands; Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji already in viral infection's grip
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Several Pacific island nations are reporting cases of dengue fever in the last few months with the Cook Islands being the latest to report the viral infection. Samoa, Tonga and Fiji have already seen a rise in dengue cases recently. A Samoan boy, too, had succumbed to the viral fever at a Auckland hospital a few days ago.Cook Islands has three dengue cases which follow the one infection which was reported in a person who had travelled from outside the country.Health advisories have been issued in all some of countries and authorities have urged the public to take all the precautions and ensure the Aedes aegypti, the carrier of dengue virus, does not find a breeding ground.Cook Islands Ministry of Health secretary Bob Williams stated that the dengue outbreak in the country does not require a declaration and the relevant steps as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines will be taken if there is a requirement to do so. Speaking in the capital Rarotonga, he added that none of the infected persons require hospitalisation.The country was plagued by a dengue outbreak in in 2019, which continued for almost two years before coming to an end in 2021. Williams pointed out that Cook Islands did not report any dengue cases since the last outbreak till now.Dengue can be fatal in some cases as seen in the case the 12-year-old Samoan boy Misiafa Nathaniel Fealofa'i Lene. who died at Auckland's Starship children's hospital. His distraught parents shared their feeling at his funeral ceremony and asked the people to maintain cleanliness and not allow mosquitoes to breed.Misiafa's father Taito spoke about his son's passion for rugby as well as swimming and his relationship with his small sister Niulina, 6. With a choking voce Taito recalled his unfulfilled wish of speaking to Misiafa about the changes during the teenage years.His mother Taunese also paid tribute by highlighting his helpful nature and how Misiafa was already to be with her side and was true to his other name Nathaniel, which means a blessing from God.
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