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Epidemic and emerging disease alerts in the Pacific as of 07 January 2025

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Highlights/updates since the last map was sent on PacNet on 17 December 2024:

Dengue

  • French Polynesia: In EpiWeek 52 2024, 43 new dengue cases were reported, including residents of Tahiti, Bora Bora, Huahine, Maupiti, Raiatea, Rangiroa and three visitors. The total number of reported cases is 591 (555 confirmed cases and 36 probable cases) since November 27, 2023. The incidence decreased compared to EpiWeek 51. However, the positivity rate, higher than in Week 50 (35% compared to 31%), suggests a potential underestimation of the number of cases due to reduced testing. Three hospitalisations were reported in EpiWeek 52. Additionally, no severe cases or deaths have been reported since the outbreak began. Since late July, DENV-1 has become the predominant serotype in the country, accounting for 100% of serotyped samples since Week 51. The blue alert for DENV-1 and DENV-2 is maintained. – Source: Bulletin de surveillance sanitaire de Polynésie française n°52 - 2024 shared with PPHSN Coordinating Body focal point on 07 January 2025.

Pertussis / Whooping cough

  • French Polynesia: Between 14 June and 30 December 2024, 525 confirmed pertussis cases were reported. In EpiWeek 52, 14 new cases were recorded including residents of Tahiti and Moorea. One hospitalisation was reported in an infant under 12 months old. The overall incidence decreased compared to previous weeks, with a slight drop in the positivity rate (16%). However, the 40% reduction in the number of tests conducted in Week 52 compared to Week 51 suggests a potential underestimation of the actual number of cases. The red alert is maintained. – Source: Bulletin de surveillance sanitaire de Polynésie française n°52 - 2024 shared with PPHSN Coordinating Body focal point on 07 January 2025.
  • New Caledonia: As of 22 December 2024, 156 cases of pertussis have been reported since April 2024, out of 1,133 samples tested. An increase in cases was observed starting in Week 31, with a peak reached in Week 38. A resurgence in the number of cases since Week 51 was reported. The distribution of cases and pertussis syndromes shows that women account for 62% of cases. Children aged 0 to 14 years make up 47% of positive cases. The majority of cases are in the South Province (64.4%, incidence rate 6.1 per 10,000 habitants), followed by the Loyalty Islands Province (15.5%, incidence rate 16.3 per 10,000 habitants) and North Province (3.1%, incidence rate 1,3 per 10,000 habitants). Since April 2024, 10 hospitalisations were reported but no deaths*.* The blue alert is maintained. – Sources: Les réseaux de surveillance | Direction des Affaires Sanitaires et Sociales de Nouvelle-Calédonie accessed on 07 January 2025.
  • New Zealand: In EpiWeek 51 2024, weekly pertussis cases (including confirmed, probable, and suspected cases) decreased to 130 from 154 in EpiWeek 50. On 22 November 2024, health agencies in New Zealand declared the early stages of a national whooping cough epidemic. A total of 1,623 cases were reported in 2024. The weekly number of cases however have been decreasing since EpiWeek 49 and as a result, the red alert is changed to a blue alert for pertussis. – Sources: Pertussis dashboard and Whooping cough epidemic declared across Aotearoa New Zealand | Ministry of Health NZ accessed on 07 January 2025.
  • Samoa: As of 29 December 2024, a total of 286 pertussis cases (17 confirmed and 269 suspected) have been reported by Samoa's Ministry of Health between EpiWeeks 46-52. The calculated cumulative incidence rate is 139.1 cases per 100,000 people. The majority of cases (50%) occurred in infants under five years old. Since September 2024, 32% of cases were hospitalised. Samoa's national pertussis vaccination coverage from January to October 2024 shows high rates for early doses (100% at 6 weeks, 95% at 10 weeks, and 86% at 14 weeks), but drops to 65% for the booster dose at 15 months. The red alert is maintained. – Source: Ministry of Health – Pertussis Surveillance Situation Report N°5 (EpiWeek 52: 23 – 29 December 2024) shared on PacNet on 06 January 2025.

Other Information:

Avian Influenza

  • United States: As of January 06 2025, Louisiana Department of Health reported the first United States H5N1-related human death in a patient over 65 with underlying medical conditions, following exposure to a backyard flock and wild birds. No additional cases or evidence of person-to-person transmission have been identified. While the current public health risk for the general public remains low, individuals with exposure to birds are at higher risk and advised to take precautions. In 2024, the Center for Disease Control reported 66 confirmed human cases in the United States, affecting 10 states, with more than half reported in California. – Source: LDH reports first U.S. H5N1-related human death | La Dept. of Health and H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation | Bird Flu | CDC accessed on 06 January 2025.

Chikungunya

  • Réunion Island (Indian Ocean): As of December 31, 2024, the Agence Régionale de Santé (ARS) La Réunion reported 118 confirmed chikungunya cases most of which are reported in the southern and western parts of the island. An epidemic is likely in the coming weeks, and Level 2B of the ORSEC (“Organisation de la Réponse de Sécurité Civile" (Organization of Civil Security Response) in France. It is a national emergency response framework designed to organize and coordinate resources during crises, disasters, or emergencies) plan specific to arboviruses has been activated. La Réunion previously experienced a large chikungunya outbreak between March 2005 and April 2006, which infected a third of the population and caused approximately 260 excess deaths, particularly among the elderly. The virus likely reached the island through human activities and this large former outbreak was driven by the virus adaptating to the local mosquito species, Aedes albopictus, which played a key role in its rapid spread(DOI: 10.3201/eid1212.060710 & 10.1016/s1473-3099(06)70559-x). – Source: Point sur la situation du chikungunya à La Réunion | Agence Régionale de Santé La Réunion accessed on 07 January 2025.

Influenza-like illness, Influenza and other respiratory infections

Measles

  • Australia: Between December 20 and 31, 2024, three measles alerts linked to imported cases were posted, with 2 in New South Wales and 1 in Victoria. All cases have been travelling from Southeast Asia where there have been ongoing outbreaks of measles in several countries. Health authorities are urging travellers to ensure they are up to date with their vaccinations, including measles vaccination. In Victoria alone there have been 17 cases of measles reported since 1 January 2024. – Source: Measles alert for Inner Sydney, Measles alert for NSW and More measles cases in Victoria | health.vic.gov.au accessed on 07 January 2025.

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