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Pacific Syndromic Surveillance System Weekly Bulletin / Système de Surveillance Syndromique dans le Pacifique - Bulletin Hebdomadaire: W6 2019 (Feb 04-Feb 10)

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WHO
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Updates:

Typhoid

Since September 2018 there have been 67 cases of typhoid fever including 1 death reported from two locations in Fiji. On 12 February, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services reported a downward trend of cases. [source]http://fijivillage.com/news/Medical-officials-contained-typhoid-outbreak-cases-and-did-not-take-leave---Waqainabete-sk5r29/

Leptospirosis

Dengue

  • Ongoing outbreak of dengue serotype-3 in Republic of Palau.

  • Ongoing outbreak of dengue serotype-2 in New Caledonia.

Pertussis

Chickenpox

  • Republic of the Marshall Islands reported 2 chickenpox cases in week 6. [Ministry of Health and Human Services]

Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus Type 1 (cVDPV1)

A risk assessment in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in December 2018 determined that cVDPV1 transmission likely continues. Additional Supplementary Immunisation activities are planned in PNG in 2019. [source] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6805a6.htm

It is important that all countries, particularly, those with frequent travel and contact with polio-affected countries and areas, strengthen surveillance for AFP cases in order to rapidly detect any new virus importation and to facilitate a rapid response. Countries and territories should also maintain uniformly high routine immunisation coverage at the district level to minimise the consequences of any new virus introduction. WHO’s International Travel and Health (http://www.who.int/ith/en/) recommends that all travellers to polio-affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio.

Measles

The Philippines Department of Health reported over 4,300 confirmed measles cases from 1 January to 10 February 2019 – more than double the number of cases compared to the same time last year. Severe complications from measles have caused 70 deaths, 1 in 3 of which occurred in children younger than 9 months old. [source]https://www.who.int/philippines/news/feature-stories/detail/immunization-gaps-contribute-to-rising-measles-cases-in-the-philippines For further information on measles in the Philippines, WHO has published a Q&Ahttps://www.who.int/philippines/news/feature-stories/detail/questions-and-answers-on-the-measles-outbreak-in-the-philippines and measles fact sheethttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/measles. It is important that all PICs maintain high immunisation coverage against measles (over 95% at the district level) to prevent the re-emergence and spread of this highly transmissible disease.