Palau Dengue Outbreak Declared Over
Palau’s Ministry of Health has declared an end to the recent dengue outbreak in Palau, which has affected at least 490 people in the island-nation.
In a press statement, the ministry said since November 10, 2017, there had been no reported cases of dengue. Cases of dengue in Palau surged in November 2016 and continuously peaked over the monthly outbreak threshold until October of this year. There were also several deaths reported, especially affecting persons with pre-existing medical conditions.
Despite this declaration, the public is strongly urged to continue practicing the '3-S' tips for dengue:
1. Search and eliminate mosquito breeding sites in and around your home and community.
2. Self-protection measures such as wearing clothing that covers your skin and using insect repellent can reduce your risk of infection.
3. Seek early consultation if you think you have been infected with dengue.
The Ministry of Health routinely conducts disease surveillance and will continue to monitor trends in order to detect possible outbreaks of dengue in the future as well as informing the public of risks to their health, the statement further stated.
