Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — As of October 12th, American Samoa has 264 confirmed cases of Dengue Fever. The Department of Health confirmed this in its latest update on Dengue in the territory. 

According to the health notice, the majority of these patients have successfully recovered, and there are currently no critical cases requiring intensive medical attention. 

Health teams are continuing to work to manage and mitigate the outbreak; however, they cannot achieve this goal without the community's active participation.

The American Samoa Department of Health strongly encourages everyone to take proactive measures to safeguard not only your own health but also that of your loved ones and neighbors. To effectively combat the spread of Dengue Fever, we recommend the following essential actions:

- Maintain Cleanliness: Regularly clean up and dispose of litter around your homes and communities. This includes picking up discarded items that can collect water, such as bottles, cans, and other waste.

- Eliminate Standing Water: Inspect your surroundings for containers, buckets, tires, and any objects that can accumulate stagnant water, as these are prime breeding sites for mosquitoes. Make sure to empty and remove these items frequently.

- Use Mosquito Repellent: Apply mosquito repellent that contains DEET on exposed skin, particularly during peak mosquito activity times, which are early morning and late afternoon. This will significantly reduce your risk of being bitten.

- Dress Appropriately: When spending time outdoors, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to minimize skin exposure. Light-colored clothing can also help deter mosquitoes.

- Secure Your Home: Check and repair window and door screens to ensure they are intact and fit securely. This will help prevent mosquitoes from entering your living spaces.

The Department noted that by taking these collective steps, they can effectively reduce the risk of Dengue Fever transmission and protect the community. 

Meanwhile in neighboring Samoa, as of the first week of October it recorded more than 14,000 clinically diagnosed dengue cases since January, and its seventh death from the disease. The Ministry of Health said for that period, cases were down 26 percent compared to the previous epidemiological week, with 378 clinically diagnosed dengue cases reported from all health facilities in Upolu and Savai'i. There have been seven confirmed dengue-related deaths in Samoa. Seventy-four percent of all cases were reported from Upolu Island.

RNZ reported that in other parts of the Pacific the UN's ReliefWeb site showed Kiribati has reported 487 confirmed cases, as of 23 September, and another 1416 suspected, as well as one death. As of 28 September, Tuvalu reported 690 suspected cases were tested, with 213 confirmed positive. The dengue cases are widely distributed along Fongafale and two outer islands, Nanumaga (eight cases) and Nukufetau (10 cases). There's better news in the Cook Islands, with Secretary of Health Bob Williams saying he believes there was only one case for the last two weeks and none in the outer islands.