Forum: Lookout Post for Pacific Islands and Antarctic

This Lookout Post covers:
Fiji, Cook Islands, Nuie, Pitcairn, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Easter, Christmas, Tokelau, Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa and other island groups in the region, and Antarctica.

If you have any information or useful links for this region, please post them here.

See the thread Volunteers Needed as Lookouts Worldwide for more information.

I have just spent an (entertaining) hour trawling the media sites for most of the islands in this group and, apart from some warnings and incidents in Fiji in June, all is quiet on the home front.

AnnieB - I have a close family member posted to a Pacific Island near you. If I hear anything via email should I post it here or send it to you via email so you can ascertain whether it should be posted on this thread? I checked your profile but saw no email address for you. Let me apologize in advance if this is not the correct way to direct a question to you.

Fall in number of flu cases

Wednesday, October 18, 2006 A recent influenza virus that hit the country is waning, says the Fiji College of General Practitioners president, Doctor Wahid Khan says. He said last month doctors had been consulting an average of 50 cases a week but that had fallen to 20 cases this month. He said symptoms of the influenza, which is common around September-October, included headaches, joint and body pains, vomiting and fever. He said people who still had the virus should drink plenty of fluids, have a lot of rest and take Paracetamol tablets when necessary. The flu is a seasonal one and there was nothing unusual about it, said the national disease outbreak specialist Dr Joe Koroivueta. He said there were two peak times for the virus, either the first half of the year or towards the end.

’’’

http://tinyurl.com/y46acf Posted at 6:27am on 26 Oct 2006 New Zealand is to contribute $2 million towards a project for influenza preparedness for the Pacific region. The grant will help the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and the World Health Organisation to tackle gaps in planning and response to epidemics in the Pacific. Prime Minister Helen Clark says no Pacific island country other than Fiji has completed and tested a national influenza plan. Miss Clark says Samoa and Tahiti had mortality rates of 25% percent in the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.

It looks like Fiji’s experts tend to underestimate, too.

5000 Fijians could die from bird flu

http://tinyurl.com/y2tx3d

Thursday October 12, 2006 The bird flu virus can kill up to 5000 people in Fiji, an epidemiologist has warned Senate.

Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Specialist at the Secretariat of the South Pacific Community Dr Narendra Singh said that the trend of influenza showed that Fiji could be headed for a pandemic.

Dr Singh said that very little had been done to sufficiently prepare Fiji for it. snip

A flu epidemic also struck Fiji in 1918, which killed 9000 people.

Fijilive

Marshall Islands President Chairs SIS Summit at Forum

http://tinyurl.com/yy2yml

Leaders of the Pacific Islands Smaller Island States (SIS) today welcomed the considerable progress made in implementing the Pacific Plan. SIS Leaders said there were many significant initiatives gaining momentum under the Plan and support from regional organisations and development partners had been a strong and positive feature to date.

The 15th SIS Summit, held at the Westin Hotel, Denarau, Nadi, Fiji, was chaired by the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, H.E President Kessai Note. Attending were leaders from the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Tuvalu, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

snip

SIS Leaders are also gravely concerned about the risk of a worldwide epidemic or pandemic caused by the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A/H5N1.

“There needs to be an ongoing commitment, at the highest political level, for the implementation of the Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Project and international health regulations was needed. We support this project and urge Forum Leaders to place this issue high on their agenda.”

The SIS Leaders also sought formal reporting on other services of health matters as HIV/AIDS, non-communicable diseases including diabetes and obesity, and the bulk purchasing of pharmaceuticals.

 Dengue Fever Outbreak Reported In Cook Islands

http://tinyurl.com/y7sadl

7:49 am, 31 Oct 2006

There have been around 170 cases of Dengue fever in the last few months in the Cook Islands, although no New Zealand tourists to the country are known to have contracted the disease.

The outbreak was first noticed in May this year, and has mostly affected the main island of Rarotonga.

The viral disease, which comes in four varieties, is spread by mosquitoes in mostly tropical areas.

The clinical director at Rarotonga Hospital says most of the cases have been mild.

Dr Henry Tikaka says he cannot tell how bad the outbreak will get, but he says for this time of year there are a high number of cases. snip

TV presenter Dermot O’Leary has picked up a nasty bug whilst on holiday in the Cook Islands

http://tinyurl.com/y7t3wx

snip He managed to contract Dengue Fever, which is carried by mosquitoes and became so ill he was convinced that he was going to die.

He said: “I was so ill over there. I thought I was going to die. Because it’s such a small place the disease was spreading everywhere. All the crew were ill. It wasn’t so romantic – believe me.”

snip

I found on that page links to governmental plans for the following Pacific countries/Islands:

Nauru, New Caledonia, Palau, Tonga - There’s also Australia, Hawai and New Zealand, which are probably already covered elsewhere on the site.

Public health actions recommended for the region (Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network )

http://preview.tinyurl.com/ygec9k

There are several important public health actions and preparedness measures that need to be taken with regards to avian flu in the region:

• Avoid importation of live birds from countries affected by the epidemic.
• Increase awareness of the possibility of importation of the virus by migratory birds coming from affected areas. Around October, some migratory birds from Asia migrate to the South Pacific to spend the northern hemisphere winter months there, and return north around March. Therefore, given the current spread of HPAI, the Pacific is in danger of infection from the southerly migration.

Migratory birds undoubtedly transfer virus from one geographic region to another. The main reservoir are often wild birds such as ducks, which may easily pass the viruses on to domestic poultry. It is important therefore to minimise contact between domestic poultry and wild birds, and/or to be vigilant regarding signs of disease in poultry where such contact occurs.

• All types of birds, poultry or their products especially from affected areas must be thoroughly cooked before consumption. This is because:
  • Freezing and refrigeration does not substantially reduce the concentration or virulence of viruses on contaminated poultry products.
  • Raw eggs from infected poultry can also be contaminated with the virus. Therefore, eggs must be well cooked before eating them.. Egg-shells may also be contaminated, and care should be taken when handling them.
  • Recommended practices of thorough cooking significantly reduce the potential of transmission.
  • We must also be conscious of possible illegal items (e.g. raw poultry products of unknown origin) that may be brought into our countries.
• Good hygiene practices during handling of raw poultry products also reduce the potential of transmission.
  • Frequent washing of hands with soap or detergents is strongly advised, especially as contaminated surfaces facilitate transmission of avian influenza virus.

(See also WHO’s “Avian influenza: food safety issues” at http://www.who.int/foodsafety/micro/avian/en/print.html

• All persons whose daily job involves handling live poultry and/or their raw products, especially persons involved in the mass slaughter of animals that are potentially infected with highly pathogenic influenza viruses, must be aware of the preparedness regime in order to protect them from an unexpected outbreak. Such persons should have access to personal protective equipment (PPE): like, gloves, mask, goggles, head/shoe cover, apron/gowns. Details can be found at: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/guidelines/interim_recommendations/en/)
• Unexplained deaths of birds or large number of birds must be reported to a veterinary and/or Health authority as soon as possible.
• Anyone, particularly children, should be strongly advised against touching any dead poultry either around or outside the home. If they do, they should change their clothes immediately, wash their bodies/hands with soap/detergents, and should be closely observed for next few days for any symptoms of flu-like illness. Take them immediately to hospital if they show any symptoms.

Travel Advice

Persons traveling to affected areas should:

• avoid contact with live birds, as well as bird droppings and other raw or untreated bird products(e.g. feathers); especially, avoid live poultry markets and farms,
• follow proper hygiene practices (especially frequent hand washing), and
• consume thoroughly well-cooked poultry products.

See also WHO advice for people living in areas affected by bird flu or avian influenza at: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/guidelines/advice_people_area/en/

The contents of this thread has now been moved to the new site.

The link is Lookout Posts - Pacific and Antarctic