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DENGUE FEVER CASES FALL BELOW OUTBREAK THRESHOLD

April 9, 2020 in Local News / Beches el Chais

DENGUE FEVER CASES FALL BELOW OUTBREAK THRESHOLD

April 9, 2020

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is informing the public that as of this week, the number of dengue fever cases have fallen below the outbreak threshold of 10 cases-per-month (within 28 days). This signals the end of a 15-month outbreak, which saw a total of 828 cumulative cases reported between December 2018 and March 2020 in Palau.

A majority of the cases (73%) were reported in Koror state, while the remaining 27% were reported throughout 12 states. Angaur, Sonsorol and Hatohobei were the only states without any reported cases during the outbreak. In total, there were 302 hospital admissions (36% of all cases) and 2 dengue-related deaths, both of which occurred in 2019 when the number of cases where at their highest. July 2019 recorded the highest single-month record of cases with 141.

While this decrease in dengue cases provides some relief given the threat we currently face with the COVID-19 pandemic, the public is nevertheless encouraged to continue practicing the 3S of Dengue Prevention to prevent the spread or infection of the dengue virus, including:

• Search and eliminate mosquito breeding sites in and around the house and yards.

• Self-protect against mosquito bitesby using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved clothing.

• Seek early consultation if dengue fever symptoms are experienced.

The MOH expresses its appreciation to the community and to partners and stakeholders for their support and assistance throughout the outbreak and continues to foster partnership and collaboration in efforts to prevent future outbreaks. For more information on dengue fever prevention, contact the MOH Communicable Disease Unit at 488-2450 or the Division of Environmental Health at 488-6073.

Click HERE to download a copy of the press release.