Cook Islands

Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 26 April 2018

The Emergency Management Office of the Government of Cook Islands in partnership with the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT) today launched the Country Preparedness Package (CPP) for the Cook Islands. The CPP is intended to strengthen preparedness and collaboration between national and international actors in disaster preparedness and response.

The following syndrome has been flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Northern Marianna Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu

• Dengue-like illness: French Polynesia

Other Updates:

Meningococcal disease:

A backup water source to support the communities of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands to access safe and clean drinking water during drought conditions has recently been investigated.

Geophysics and electrical resistivity testing of the island carried out by the Pacific Community (SPC) in partnership with the Cook Islands Government identified groundwater sources that could provide useful volumes of fresh water, particularly useful during droughts.

AT A GLANCE

Region East Asia and Pacific
Risks Reversal of development gains post-disaster; long term economic and fiscal impacts
Area of Engagement Deepening financial protection

Following a successful pilot program, Pacific Island Countries established a sovereign catastrophe risk insurance company for the region, increasing resilience and access to short-term funds needed to respond to disasters.

HIGH VULNERABILITY, LIMITED BUDGETS

The following syndrome has been flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: French Polynesia, Tonga

Other Updates:

Meningococcal disease:

Introduction

Disaster events have lasting impacts on people, communities, and socioeconomic development. Countries in the Pacific are among the most exposed, globally, to natural disasters, including floods, droughts, cyclones, and earthquakes. The effects of climate change threaten to increase the severity and frequency of hazard events in the Pacific region, emphasizing the need for Pacific island countries to protect themselves against corresponding social and economic consequences.

The following syndromes have been flagged:

· Acute Fever and Rash: Fiji, Northern Marianna Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu

Other Updates:

Meningococcal disease:

· Outbreak of meningococcal disease group C is ongoing in Fiji. The Fiji MHMS will continue to post updates on PacNet. The last update was posted on 6 April 2018 For details of previous updates please refer to: MHMS media release

Dengue:

· There are ongoing dengue serotype-2 outbreaks in Fiji, Vanuatu. The weekly number of cases (dengue serotype-2) reported is decreasing in Tonga and Samoa

The following syndromes have been flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Northern Marianna Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu

Other Updates:

Meningococcal disease:

• Outbreak of meningococcal disease group C is ongoing in Fiji. As of 29 March 2018 of there have been 38 cases including 4 deaths since 1 January 2018. Majority of the cases are from the Central division and all cases are less than 19 years of age.

The following syndromes were flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), French Polynesia, Tonga, Vanuatu

• Prolonged Fever: Fiji

Other Updates:

Meningococcal disease:

• Outbreak is ongoing in Fiji. There has been a cluster identified in a boarding school in the Central Division. The cases are being treated at the tertiary hospital (Colonial War Memorial Hospital), while contacts of the cases have received appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis. Source: Ministry of Health & Medical Services and Media .

The following syndromes were flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Fiji, Tonga, Northern Mariana Islands

• Dengue Like Illness: Vanuatu

• Prolonged Fever: Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati

Other Updates:

Meningococcal disease:

SUVA, 19 March 2018 – Government participants from ten countries in the Pacific region will work with experts this week from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Pacific Community (SPC) to strengthen data collection and planning to improve the lives of the most vulnerable families and children. 

WHAT IS THE COUNTRY PREPAREDNESS PACKAGE?

The following syndromes were flagged this week:

• Acute Fever and Rash – Vanuatu, Federated State of Micronesia, French Polynesia, Northern Mariana Island

• Dengue Like Illness – Vanuatu

• Prolonged Fever – French Polynesia

Other Update:

Dengue:

The following syndromes were flagged this week:

Other Updates:

• Acute Fever and Rash – Northern Mariana Is, Tokelau, Vanuatu

• Dengue-Like Illness – Palau, FSM

• Prolonged Fever - FSM

Dengue

• As of March 1st , 2018 there have been 69 confirmed cases of Dengue in Tonga via Dengue duo Rapid diagnostic kit from 212 samples tested. Dengue serotype-2 has been identified responsible for the outbreak. Source- Tonga MOH

The United Nations Pacific Strategy (UNPS) 2018-2022 is a five year strategic framework that outlines the collective response of the UN system to the development priorities in 14 Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), namely Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati,

The following syndromes were flagged this week:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Fiji, Tonga, French Polynesia, Vanuatu, FSM

• Prolonged Fever: Vanuatu

Other Updates:

Dengue:

• Ongoing dengue situation in Vanuatu with 86 suspected cases as of 27th February, 2018. Of these cases, 25 confirmed cases by NS1 or IgM and samples and pending PCR and Serotyping at Institute Pasteur in New Caledonia (IPNC). For further details please refer to Sit Rep posted by Ms Wendy Williams, MoH Vanuatu earlier today.

The following syndromes were flagged this week.

• Acute Fever and Rash: Fiji, Northern Marianna Islands, FSM, Marshalls

• Dengue-like Illness: Vanuatu

• Prolonged Fever: Kiribati

Other Update:

Dengue:

• Vanuatu has reported increase in Dengue like illness cases. As of 16th February there were reported 6 suspected cases and 4 cases testing positive. Serotype pending further testing to Institute Pasteur in New Caledonia (IPNC). Source : Ms Wendy Williams, Vanuatu Ministry of Health

The Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT) is a network of humanitarian organizations that work together to assist the Pacific island countries prepare for and respond to disasters. During disasters, the PHT provides support to governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and communities in delivering a fast, effective and appropriate disaster response. Outside of disasters, the PHT works with the Pacific governments and partners to ensure that the necessary arrangements are in place to enable effective international support to nationally-led disaster response.

The following syndromes were flagged this week:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Northern Mariana Islands

• Dengue-like illness: Tonga

Other updates:

Dengue

• There is an ongoing dengue outbreak in the Northern division of Fiji, increasing number of cases have been reported from areas in the Western division. Dengue serotype-2 has been identified by the Institut Louis Malarde, French Polynesia. Source: Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

Executive Summary