PAGO PAGO (Samoa News/PINA) — The number of people visiting American Samoa’s LBJ hospital with dengue fever symptoms has declined, but hospital authorities say the mosquito borne-fever has not left the territory yet.
Meanwhile, the dengue fever’s relative, a viral flu, continues to send patients to the hospital.
The viral infection with flu-like symptoms erupted late last year. Patients suffering from the viral flu experience dengue-like symptoms of high fever, body aches and headaches.
LBJ Medical Director Iotamo Saleapaga said young children and the elderly are the most vulnerable to this viral flu. As for dengue fever, Saleapaga reported that no deaths had been caused by dengue fever this year. Last year, two children and a 29-year-old man died from dengue fever.
Dengue fever cases are also plaguing other Pacific islands.
In French Polynesia, eight young children died last year. Cases of dengue fever have also been reported recently in Hawaii, Samoa, the Cook Islands, Palau, and the Solomon Islands.
