Attachments
What happened, where and when?
A dengue fever outbreak was ocially declared on 22 May 2025 in the Cook Islands. Since the declaration, transmission has remained active and widespread across the main island of Rarotonga and several outer islands, including Aitutaki, Atiu, Mauke, and Mangaia. Cases have been reported in both urban centres and remote communities. As of Epidemiological Week 6 (6 February 2026), a total of 893 conrmed cases have been recorded. The outbreak has shown a sharp and sustained increase in recent weeks, with an estimated incidence rate of 1.78 per cent of the population. As of 6 February, 45 hospital admissions have been reported, along with one fatality in early February 2026. A high proportion of cases are among children, further heightening public health concerns. The outbreak has placed signicant pressure on the national health system. Health facilities are operating under constraints in infrastructure, stang, and medical supplies, limiting their capacity to provide timely diagnosis and treatment. This strain is particularly acute during peak transmission periods, increasing the risk of complications and delayed care. Communities in the outer islands face heightened vulnerability due to geographic isolation, limited access to health services and specialized care, reduced health workforce capacity, and logistical challenges in transporting patients and medical supplies. These factors have intensied the need for strengthened community-based prevention, early detection, and supportive measures to reduce transmission and alleviate pressure on health facilities. A Government-led national taskforce, coordinated by the Ministry of Health, was activated to manage the outbreak response. Since the ocial declaration in May 2025, public awareness campaigns have been conducted through media platforms and community outreach initiatives to promote dengue prevention and early care-seeking behaviours. However, the rapid escalation of cases over a short period has exceeded existing response capacity. As case numbers surged in early 2026, the Ministry of Health formally requested support from the Cook Islands Red Cross Society. The date of receipt of this request, 2 February 2026, has been used as the trigger date for the DREF response.