• Dengue viruses are spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquitoes.
• Global incidence of dengue has increased massively over the past 50yrs, with transmission spreading into new countries.
• The Pacific Island Countries are all at risk of dengue outbreaks.
• Dengue is caused by one of any of four related viruses: Dengue virus 1, 2, 3, and 4.
• Dengue infection is usually asymptomatic and only about 1 in 4 infected people will get sick.
• For people who get sick with dengue, the infection causes flu-like illness, and occasionally develops into potentially lethal complicated called severe dengue.
• The virus may also transmitted from a mother to her unborn infant during pregnancy.
• There is no specific treatment for dengue/severe dengue, but early detection access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates below 1%.

The primary vector of dengue, Zika and chikungunya in the Pacific region is Aedes aegypti.

Aedes albopictus and Aedes polynesiensis are important secondary vectors.

There are also a number of other secondary vectors that are important within restricted geographic areas, or that contribute to the transmission of arboviruses once an outbreak has started.

• Aedes cooki
• Aedes hebrideus
• Aedes hensilli
• Aedes kesseli
• Aedes marshallensis
• Aedes pseudoscutellaris
• Aedes rotumae
• Aedes scutellaris
• Aedes tongae

The main method to control or prevent the transmission of dengue virus is to combat vector mosquitoes through:

• preventing mosquitoes from accessing egg-laying habitats by environmental management and modification;
• disposing of solid waste properly and removing artificial man-made habitats;
• covering, emptying, and cleaning of domestic water storage containers on a weekly basis;
• applying appropriate insecticides to water storage outdoor containers;

• using of personal household protection such as window screens, long-sleeved clothes, insecticide treated materials, coils and vaporizers;
• improving community participation and mobilization for sustained vector control;
• applying residual insecticides during outbreaks as one of the emergency vector-control measures, such as indoor residual spraying;
• active monitoring and surveillance of vectors should be carried out to determine effectiveness of control interventions.

SOURCE:
For guidance targeted to PICs to prevent and control arbovirus infections, see the Manual on Surveillance and Control of Aedes vectors in the Pacific

Overview of dengue in the Pacific

In 2022, and as of 1 May, 3,930 cases of dengue (DLI) have been reported. The majority of cases have been reported from Fiji.

Epidemic and emerging disease alerts in the Pacific as of 10 May 2022

SOURCE:
https://www.who.int/westernpacific/emergencies/surveillance/dengue

Japanese encephalitis – Australia

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON365

Dengue – Fiji

https://reliefweb.int/map/world/epidemic-and-emerging-disease-alerts-pacific-29-march-2022

Dengue – Timor Leste

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/dengue—timor-leste

• Zika virus is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which primarily bite during the day.
• The virus infection is usually asymptomatic, but can lead to severe complications.
• Infection during pregnancy presents many serious hazards for mother and child (microcephaly in children).
• The virus infection is usually asymptomatic, but can lead to severe complications.
• Zika virus is a trigger of Guillain-Barre syndrome.
• The virus may also transmitted from a mother to her unborn infant, through sexual contact and blood transfusions.
• The transmission of Zika virus has been recorded from at least 20 Pacific Island Countries. The first major outbreak in the Region occurred on Yap Island in the Federated States of Micronesia in 2007. This was followed by a large outbreak in French Polynesia in 2013-14 which was associated with a rise in Guillain-Barre syndrome cases.
• There is currently no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika virus infection.

The primary vector of dengue, Zika and chikungunya in the Pacific region is Aedes aegypti.

Aedes albopictus and Aedes polynesiensis are important secondary vectors.

There are also a number of other secondary vectors that are important within restricted geographic areas, or that contribute to the transmission of arboviruses once an outbreak has started.

• Aedes cooki
• Aedes hebrideus
• Aedes hensilli
• Aedes kesseli
• Aedes marshallensis
• Aedes pseudoscutellaris
• Aedes rotumae
• Aedes scutellaris
• Aedes tongae

The main method to control or prevent the transmission of dengue virus is to combat vector mosquitoes through:

• preventing mosquitoes from accessing egg-laying habitats by environmental management and modification;
• disposing of solid waste properly and removing artificial man-made habitats;
• covering, emptying, and cleaning of domestic water storage containers on a weekly basis;
• applying appropriate insecticides to water storage outdoor containers;

• using of personal household protection such as window screens, long-sleeved clothes, insecticide treated materials, coils and vaporizers;
• improving community participation and mobilization for sustained vector control;
• applying residual insecticides during outbreaks as one of the emergency vector-control measures, such as indoor residual spraying;
• active monitoring and surveillance of vectors should be carried out to determine effectiveness of control interventions.

SOURCE:
For guidance targeted to PICs to prevent and control arbovirus infections, see the Manual on Surveillance and Control of Aedes vectors in the Pacific

Overview of dengue in the Pacific

In 2022, and as of 1 May, 3,930 cases of dengue (DLI) have been reported. The majority of cases have been reported from Fiji.

Epidemic and emerging disease alerts in the Pacific as of 10 May 2022

SOURCE:
https://www.who.int/westernpacific/emergencies/surveillance/dengue

Japanese encephalitis – Australia

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON365

Dengue – Fiji

https://reliefweb.int/map/world/epidemic-and-emerging-disease-alerts-pacific-29-march-2022

Dengue – Timor Leste

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/dengue—timor-leste

• Chikungunya is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which primarily bite during the day.
• Chikungunya causes an acute febrile illness. The most common symptoms of infection are fever and joint pain.
• Chikungunya is often misdiagnosed with dengue and other diseases.
• Chikungunya virus infection seems to elicit long-lasting protective immunity.
• The virus may also transmitted from a mother to her unborn infant, through sexual contact and blood transfusions.
• There is currently no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat chikungunya virus infection.
• Chikungunya was largely absent from the Pacific Island Countries until an outbreak in New Caledonia in 2011. Chikungunya outbreaks or cases have since been reported from at least 9 Pacific Island Countries.

The primary vector of dengue, Zika and chikungunya in the Pacific region is Aedes aegypti.

Aedes albopictus and Aedes polynesiensis are important secondary vectors.

There are also a number of other secondary vectors that are important within restricted geographic areas, or that contribute to the transmission of arboviruses once an outbreak has started.

• Aedes cooki
• Aedes hebrideus
• Aedes hensilli
• Aedes kesseli
• Aedes marshallensis
• Aedes pseudoscutellaris
• Aedes rotumae
• Aedes scutellaris
• Aedes tongae

The main method to control or prevent the transmission of dengue virus is to combat vector mosquitoes through:

• preventing mosquitoes from accessing egg-laying habitats by environmental management and modification;
• disposing of solid waste properly and removing artificial man-made habitats;
• covering, emptying, and cleaning of domestic water storage containers on a weekly basis;
• applying appropriate insecticides to water storage outdoor containers;

• using of personal household protection such as window screens, long-sleeved clothes, insecticide treated materials, coils and vaporizers;
• improving community participation and mobilization for sustained vector control;
• applying residual insecticides during outbreaks as one of the emergency vector-control measures, such as indoor residual spraying;
• active monitoring and surveillance of vectors should be carried out to determine effectiveness of control interventions.

SOURCE:
For guidance targeted to PICs to prevent and control arbovirus infections, see the Manual on Surveillance and Control of Aedes vectors in the Pacific

Overview of dengue in the Pacific

In 2022, and as of 1 May, 3,930 cases of dengue (DLI) have been reported. The majority of cases have been reported from Fiji.

Epidemic and emerging disease alerts in the Pacific as of 10 May 2022

SOURCE:
https://www.who.int/westernpacific/emergencies/surveillance/dengue

Japanese encephalitis – Australia

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON365

Dengue – Fiji

https://reliefweb.int/map/world/epidemic-and-emerging-disease-alerts-pacific-29-march-2022

Dengue – Timor Leste

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/dengue—timor-leste

• Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. Four kinds of malaria parasites infect humans: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae.
• People with malaria often experience fever, chills, and flu-like illness. Left untreated, they may develop severe complications and die.
• In the Pacific, malaria is endemic in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
• Malaria incidence has nearly doubled in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands since 2015.
• Vanuatu is targeting country-wide elimination.
• Children under 5 years old are the most vulnerable group.
• Although malaria can be a deadly disease, illness and death from malaria can usually be prevented.
• Malaria may also be transmitted from a mother to her unborn infant before or during delivery or through blood transmission.
• Several good antimalarial drugs are available and should be taken early on.

Japanese encephalitis – Australia

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON365

Dengue – Fiji

https://reliefweb.int/map/world/epidemic-and-emerging-disease-alerts-pacific-29-march-2022

Dengue – Timor Leste

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/dengue—timor-leste