Epidemic and emerging disease alerts in the Pacific as of 10 December 2024

Highlights/updates since the last map was sent on PacNet on 03 December 2024:

Dengue

• French Polynesia: In EpiWeek 47, 47 new dengue cases were confirmed from 112 samples tested, including residents of Tahiti, Moorea, Nuku-Hiva, Huahine, Rangiroa, Raiatea, Fakarava, Bora Bora, Tikehau, Maupiti (Society Islands) and Artua (Tuamotu Archipelago). These are the first cases on these last two islands. The total number of reported cases is 350 (325 confirmed cases and 25 probable cases) since November 27, 2023. An upward trend is observed, the positivity rate has also been increasing over the past month, reaching around 42% in EpiWeek 47. In Week 47, two individuals required hospitalisation on short stay unit (1 to 2 days), but no severe cases or deaths have been reported since the outbreak began. Since late July, DENV-1 has become the predominant serotype circulating in the country (73% of the samples serotyped) with co-circulation of DENV-2 (27% of the samples serotyped). The blue alert for DENV-1 and DENV-2 is maintained. – Source: Bulletin de surveillance sanitaire de Polynésie française n°47 - 2024 shared with PPHSN Coordinating Body focal point on 05 December 2024.

Diarrhoea

• Vanuatu: From 17 November to 05 December 2024, a total of 143 diarrhoea cases were reported. The weekly number of watery diarrhoea cases decreased from 126 in EpiWeek 47 to 17 in EpiWeek 48, remaining below the alert threshold of 158 cases per week since EpiWeek 45. Vila Central Hospital reported the highest number of cases during the reporting period followed by NTM Health Center, both located in Port Vila on Efate Island. No deaths or hospital admissions have been recorded since the beginning of the outbreak. Analytical results confirmed the presence of E. coli in multiple water sources, strongly linking contaminated water supplies to the outbreaks. As the situation stabilises, the grey alert for diarrhoea is removed. – Source: Watery Diarrhoea in Efate Situation Update 04 (Report Date: 06 December 2024/ Covering Period from 01 January – 06 December 2024) shared on PacNet on 06 December 2024.

Pertussis / Whooping cough

• French Polynesia: Between 14 June and 24 November, 389 confirmed pertussis cases were reported. In EpiWeek 47, 49 new cases were recorded, all from Tahiti, Moorea and Rangiroa. Two hospitalisations were reported in an infant under 1 year old and in an adult during EpiWeek 47. In week 46, one death of an infant was reported, marking the first case with complications and the first death. An upward trend in overall incidence has been observed over the past 3 weeks, with the positivity rate remaining stable. The largest proportion of cases is in the 3–19-years age group (44.5%), with only 11.8% being infants under 1 year of age. The red alert is maintained. – Source: Bulletin de surveillance sanitaire de Polynésie française n°47 - 2024 shared with PPHSN Coordinating Body focal point on 05 December 2024.
• New Caledonia: As of 08 December 2024, 124 cases of pertussis have been reported since April 2024, out of 816 samples tested. In October and November, 35 cases per month were reported. Since the 1st of December, seven new cases have been reported, with the most recent case dated 06 December 2024*.* The blue alert is maintained. – Sources: Coqueluche | Direction des Affaires Sanitaires et Sociales de Nouvelle-Calédonie accessed on 03 December 2024.
• New Zealand: In EpiWeek 48, weekly pertussis cases (including confirmed, probable and suspected cases) increased to 156 from 80 in EpiWeek 47. On 22 November, health agencies in New Zealand declared the early stages of a national whooping cough epidemic. In November, 401 cases were reported with numbers steadily increasing since September. The red alert is maintained. – Sources: Pertussis dashboard and Whooping cough epidemic declared across Aotearoa New Zealand | Ministry of Health NZ accessed on 10 December 2024.
• Samoa: As of 01 December, a total of 54 pertussis cases (8 confirmed and 46 suspected) have been reported by Samoa's Ministry of Health since September. On 28th November, the Ministry of Health declared a pertussis outbreak following a significant increase in reported cases. The majority of cases (68%) occurred in infants under 1 year old. Since September 2024, 57% of cases were hospitalised. Most of the cases are from Upolu Island. The red alert is maintained. – Source: Ministry of Health – Pertussis Surveillance Situation Report N°1 (EpiWeek 48: 25 November – 1 December 2024) shared on PacNet on 09 December 2024.

Other Information:

Influenza-like illness and Influenza

• French Polynesia: In EpiWeek 47, five new influenza cases were confirmed from 62 tests conducted. All cases were confirmed to be Influenza A. Two hospitalisations were reported in adults between 40 – 60-years-old. – Source: Bulletin de surveillance sanitaire de Polynésie française n°47 - 2024 shared with PPHSN Coordinating Body focal point on 05 December 2024.
• Wallis and Futuna: As of 2 December 2024, the Agence de Santé of Wallis and Futuna reported an increase in influenza activity. In Wallis, the number of influenza-like illnesses exceeded the epidemic threshold, with 63 cases reported in EpiWeek 47 and 62 cases in EpiWeek 48, with a slight rise in consultations also noted. A similar situation was observed in Futuna. Influenza A accounted for seven confirmed cases in EpiWeek 47 and eight cases throughout November, while Influenza B was identified in two confirmed cases in EpiWeek 48. – Source: Point de situation épidémiologique à Wallis et Futuna au 02/12/2024; Co-circulation SARS-CoV-2/Rhinovirus/VRS/Grippe A shared to PPHSN focal point on 05 December 2024.

Oropouche

• Americas: On 5 December, WHO released a Disease Outbreak News about Oropouche virus disease in the Americas. As of 25 November 2024, a total of 11,634 confirmed Oropouche cases, including two deaths, have been reported in the Region of the Americas, across ten countries and one territory: Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Peru and the United States of America. Imported cases have also been reported from Canada, the United States of America and countries of the European Region. The virus’s expanded areas of transmission, new vectors and additional transmission routes leads the public health risk remaining high in the Americas region and low globally. Source: Oropouche virus disease - Region of the Americas accessed on 10 December 2024.

One Health:

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry

• New Zealand: As of 9 December 2024, four poultry farms in Hillgrove, Otago, have been affected by HPAI (H7N6). The depopulation of 160,000 chickens across four sheds has been carried out under strict biosecurity protocols. No HPAI infections have been detected on neighbouring farms or other Mainland Poultry properties, ensuring no impact on New Zealand's egg supply, food safety, or public health. – Sources: Situation update H7N6 bird flu detection Otago – 7 December 2024 | NZ Government & Situation update H7N6 bird flu detection Otago – 9 December 2024 | NZ Government accessed on 10 December 2024