The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Health Aiono Dr Alec Ekeroma confirmed that there are 15 reported cases of dengue fever in Samoa as of last week.

“There are 15 cases from January until last Friday. Only one was admitted,” he said in his response to Samoa Observer queries.

The MOH declared a dengue fever outbreak last week after it claimed the life of a 12-year-old, recording its first death.

Dengue Fever is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the dengue virus, prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas.

Parents have raised concerns over the dengue fever outbreak. They fear for their children.

“I am a mother and I am scared for my children. We should look into a public clean-up day. I urge parents to clean their homes and any places where they know mosquitoes can give birth to. We should all work together to ensure that our kids are safe and healthy,” said Tiresa Kalapu.

Another parent also suggested vaccination, especially in areas where it is highly risky.

“I saw that dengue fever is caused by mosquitoes, so perhaps a vaccine is available to cure this disease. Every problem has a solution. I am sure we can prevent this disease from affecting our children. We must protect our children and families. There has to be some sort of vaccine for this.”

MOH continues to provide prevention measures to ensure the safety of every individual. They also provide guidelines for everyone to follow and protect themselves from these illnesses. 

According to authorities, the best way to prevent the spread of dengue is to clean up around the homes and get rid of collected water that is still and stagnant allowing mosquitoes to breed.