16 January 2014 - Dengue virus serotype 3 has recently re-emerged in several countries and territories in the South Pacific after nearly 20 years. The number of cases is expected to continue to increase in the coming months in many places including Fiji, French Polynesia and Kiribati, while a large outbreak in Solomon Islands is winding down. Currently, health ministries in affected areas are actively building community awareness around how to prevent dengue and refreshing the skills of medical personnel to recognize and treat the symptoms of dengue.
Surveillance: On-going surveillance of dengue is important to track the spread of the disease and to determine whether or not control interventions are working. In the current outbreak, for example, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in Kiribati has enhanced surveillance for dengue-like illness in all health facilities in the urban area of the capital, South Tarawa and encourages reporting by outer island facilities as well.
Vector control: The main method to control or prevent the transmission of dengue virus is to reduce the number of vector mosquitoes by preventing them from breeding. In Fiji, the public health prevention activities against dengue, spearheaded by the MOH, involves mobilizing individuals and communities to protect themselves against mosquito bites and to destroy or mitigate mosquito breeding sites. On 16 January 2014, the Fiji Government launched a nationwide anti-dengue clean-up campaign to remove mosquito breeding sites. In Kiriabti community-based efforts are focused on promoting environmental clean-up to remove mosquito breeding sites such as discarded boats filled with standing water, tires, discarded drums uncovered water storage and containers and upturned coconut shells.
Clinical care: Clinicians at all levels of the health system should be aware of a dengue outbreak, be able to identify cases that meet the dengue clinical case definition, and be able to assess which patients have dengue warning signs and require hospitalization and which can be managed safely as ambulatory or outpatient basis. Hospital-based clinicians should also be able to manage more serious cases, including severe dengue cases, according to the WHO dengue clinical management guidelines.