The Director-General of Health Aiono Dr. Alec Ekeroma says the number of cases in Samoa are below five per week. Photo: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
A 12-year-old Samoan boy has died in Auckland after contracting dengue fever.
Samoan media confirmed Misiafa Lene died last Sunday, a day after he was flown from Samoa to the Starship Children's Hospital in Auckland.
The young boy's father Louis Lene expressed his heartbreak in a post on Facebook where hundreds of commenters offered support.
Dengue fever is spread by mosquitos in tropical climates, and can cause symptoms like sudden high fever, intensely sore joints and muscles, pain behind the eyes and a rash.
There is an outbreak of the viral infection ongoing in Samoa, Fiji and Tonga.
The Director-General of Health Aiono Dr. Alec Ekeroma told local media the number of cases in Samoa was below five per week.
Tonga's Ministry of Health had reported a cumulative total of 492 dengue cases as of 14 April.
Six of these were in hospital.
The Fijian government has advised visitors "to take standard health precautions" during their stay in the country, as local authorities try to tackle a dengue outbreak.
But it insisted it was still safe to visit.
Meanwhile, a Northland emergency doctor is asking anyone travelling to the tropics to take precautions.
Doctor Gary Payinda said the disease would become more widespread with global warming, and travellers needed to be vigilant.
"Avoiding areas with standing water and obviously air conditioned accommodation will greatly decrease your risk of mosquitos born infections.
"Some simple things you can do, use your deet and picaridin."
Doctor Payinda said New Zealand currently saw about seven to 10 cases of dengue in a year.
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