Highlights/updates since the last map was sent on PacNet on 28 January 2025:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Niue: As of 27 January 2025, 38 positive COVID-19 cases have been reported since 11 January, with 13 recoveries. The Department of Health (DOH) expects more positive cases in the community that have not been reported or tested. Reported positive cases have gradually increased since December 2024. With the Primary School and High schools starting again this week, DOH expects an increase in the number of reported cases. Majority of the cases to date are adults, with one hospitalised. As a result, a red alert for COVID-19 is added. – Source: Personal exchanges with country focal person on 31 January 2025.
Dengue
- Fiji: As of 03 February 2025, The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has declared a dengue fever outbreak in the Western Division due to a significant rise in cases above expected levels. Since the beginning of the year, 200 cases have been reported, primarily affecting individuals aged 10-29 years. In response, a Dengue Action Plan has been implemented, with ongoing monitoring by divisional heads and senior managers. As a result, a red alert for dengue is added. – Source: MHMS FIJI – Shaping Fiji's Health accessed on 04 February 2025.
- French Polynesia: In EpiWeek 04, 60 new dengue cases were reported, including residents of Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Raiatea, Fakarava and the first case reported in Takaroa (Tuamotu Archipelago) and three visitors. The total number of reported cases is 845 (786 confirmed cases and 59 probable cases) since November 27, 2023. The incidence is increasing compared to the previous week. However, the positivity rate has been decreasing for the third consecutive week. In EpiWeek 04, one new hospitalisation was reported for a 7-year-old child. Since the beginning of the epidemic, no severe cases or deaths have been reported. Since July 2024, DENV-1 has become the predominant serotype in the country, representing 100% of serotyped samples since in EpiWeek 51, 2024. The blue alert for DENV-1 is maintained. – Source: Bulletin de surveillance sanitaire de Polynésie française n°4 - 2025 shared with PPHSN Coordinating Body focal point on 04 February 2025.
Influenza-like illness and Influenza
- French Polynesia: In EpiWeek 04, 53 new influenza cases (50 type A and 3 type B) were reported out of 150 test results submitted. An increase in the positivity rate has been observed (35% compared to 22% the previous week). The epidemic continues, and an intensification of the situation is anticipated. Among these 53 cases, 21 hospitalisations have been reported, with an additional two admissions to the intensive care unit. No deaths have been reported since the beginning of the epidemy. The red alert for influenza A is maintained. – Source: Bulletin de surveillance sanitaire de Polynésie française n°4 - 2025 shared with PPHSN Coordinating Body focal point on 04 February 2025.
- New Caledonia: As of 17 January 2025, the government of New Caledonia, through the Department of Health and Social Affairs (“Direction des Affaires Sanitaires et Sociales, DASS), raised an alert to the population regarding an influenza epidemic in New Caledonia. Currently, there is an active circulation of respiratory viruses, the pressure on hospital services and general medical practices is intensifying. It has been more than 3 weeks since the last update, and as a result, a star is added to the red alert for influenza. – Source: 2025.01.17_cp_epidemie_de_grippe.pdf accessed on 04 February 2025.
- Vanuatu: In EpiWeek 03 (13 – 19 Jan 2025), the National Surveillance unit recorded 504 cases of influenza-like illness in Efate Island, an additional 85 cases were reported since the 12 January 2025 surpassing the alert threshold of 268 cases per week. The influenza-like outbreak on Efate Island is ongoing with more case being reported. The majority of cases originated from Ohlen, Mele, and Bladiniere, with more than 25 cases reported. No deaths were reported since the 30 December 2024. As of 19 January, the causative agent remains unconfirmed. Most of the reported cases are above 5 years old (61%). The grey alert for influenza-like illness is maintained, awaiting confirmation of the causative agent.– Source: Efate Island Seasonal Influenza Outbreak – Situation Report #3 (report date: 29/01/2025; covering period from 30 December 2024 – 19 January 2025) shared on PacNet on 01 February 2025.
Pertussis / Whooping cough
- French Polynesia: Between 14 June 2024 and 26 January 2025, 624 confirmed pertussis cases were reported. In EpiWeek 04, 17 new cases were recorded, including residents of Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora. Among all the cases investigated since the beginning of the epidemic, 23 people have required hospitalization, including 15 infants aged 12 months or less. One death was reported in week 46 of 2024 in an infant. The incidence and positivity rate (14%) are decreasing since EpiWeek 02 and as a result the red alert is changed to a blue alert for pertussis. – Source: Bulletin de surveillance sanitaire de Polynésie française n°4 - 2025 shared with PPHSN Coordinating Body focal point on 04 February 2025.
- New Caledonia: As of 03 February 2025, 203 cases of pertussis have been reported since April 2024, out of 1,298 samples tested. Since the 1st of January 2025, 32 new cases have been reported, with the most recent case dated 31 January 2025*.* The blue alert is maintained. – Source: Coqueluche | Direction des Affaires Sanitaires et Sociales de Nouvelle-Calédonie accessed on 04 February 2025.
- New Zealand: In EpiWeek 04 (week ending January 24, 2025), weekly pertussis cases in New Zealand decreased to 91 from 95 in EpiWeek 03, bringing the total reported cases in January 2025 to 324. According to the latest report from the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), 368 pertussis cases (277 confirmed and 91 probable) were reported between December 28, 2024, and January 24, 2025, compared to 547 cases in the preceding four weeks. Similarly, the number of hospitalisations is lower than the prior four-week period (32 cases in this reporting period compared to 44 cases). No deaths were reported. Since the start of the national epidemic on 19 October 2024, 1,420 confirmed, probable and suspect cases have been notified. Of these, 113 cases (8.0%) have required hospitalisation, with 53 (55.2%) of the 96 cases in infants under 1 year hospitalised. The blue alert is maintained. – Sources: Pertussis dashboard and Pertussis report 28 December 2024–24 January 2025 accessed on 04 February 2025.
- Samoa: As of 26 January 2025, a total of 384 pertussis cases (24 confirmed and 360 suspected) have been reported by Samoa's Ministry of Health between EpiWeek 46 (2024) and EpiWeek 04 (2025). An additional 21 cases were reported since the 19 January 2025. The calculated cumulative incidence rate increased from 176.6 cases per 100,000 people to 186.6 cases per 100,00 people between September 2024 and 26 January 2025. The majority of cases (52%) occurred in infants under five years old. Since September 2024, 41% of cases were hospitalised. The blue alert is maintained. – Source: Ministry of Health – Pertussis Surveillance Situation Report N°9 (EpiWeek 04: 20 – 26 January 2025) accessed on Government of Samoa: Welcome to SAMOAGOVT.WS on 20 January 2025.
Other Information:
Pertussis
- Federated States of Micronesia, Kosrae State: As of 30 January 2025, Kosrae State in FSM has reported three confirmed and eight suspected pertussis cases since October 2024. The first case was identified on 30 October 2024. Two additional cases were confirmed one on 30 December 2024 and one on the 17 January 2025. Both suspected and confirmed cases had no travel history. Samples from the first two locally confirmed cases were sent to the Hawaii State Hospital laboratory for confirmation. Since October 2024, 10 hospitalisations have been reported, no deaths recorded. The age range is from 7 months old to 58 years old with a mean age of 11 years. Source: Kosrae State Pertussis Situational Report #1 – (EpiWeek 5 (2025); Reporting Date: January 30, 2025) shared with PPHSN Coordinating Body focal point on 03 February 2025.