The Director General of the Ministry of Health, Leausa Dr Take Naseri, has put the country on a High Health Alert
The alert issued during an emergency press conference called by the Ministry of Health Moto’otua yesterday follows an outbreak of Acute Fever and Rash (A.F.R) in American Samoa.
The outbreak apparently killed one young man at the beginning of the week. More than 100 cases of A.F.R have since emerged during the past few days.
“Due to the proximity of our two islands, the Ministry of Health advises the public to be on High Alert to prevent an outbreak here in Samoa,” Leausa said in a statement issued to the media
Members of the public are advised to take precautions and seek medical advice immediately when they experience symptoms such as “fever, skin rashes, joint pains, generalised body aches, headaches and other less common symptoms.”
The Ministry of Health also advised the country to:
• Avoid mosquito bites using proper clothing; mosquito repellents, bed nets and screens etc.
• Mosquito control by elimination of mosquito breeding sites, indoors and outdoors. Clearing drainages, stagnant water or any articles retaining water.
• Restrict travel to and from American Samoa during this time of the outbreak.
• Stay alert to the situation through updates given to Doctors, Nurses and key government agencies in Samoa.
“The Ministry of Health Samoa has been notified of an outbreak of Acute Fever and Rash (AFR) in American Samoa.”
According to Leausa, two people have been hospitalized in American Samoa with one in Intensive Care Unit.
“It is suspected that this is caused by a virus transmitted by mosquitoes.”
He added: “The Ministry of Health continues to heightened Surveillance and Vector Control measures especially at the ports of entry, for Health protection.”
According to a story from Samoa News earlier this week, a young man in American Samoa died as a result of the A.F.R outbreak.
American Samoa’s Department of Health (DOH) Director, Motusa Tuileama Nua said they “suspect this outbreak may be caused by one of the mosquito spread-diseases that have been circulating in the South Pacific, which are dengue fever, ckihungunya and zika viruses.”
According to Motusa, these diseases can cause serious complications including bleeding, paralysis, persistent arthritis and eventually death.
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“Specialized lab tests needed to identify which of these diseases may be causing the current outbreak are arranged.”
He pointed out that if anyone develops fever, body aches with or without rash, they should go to a clinic or ER within one day of onset.
DOH physician, Dr Mark Durand, told Samoa News the deceased man “became very sick within a week of first contracting the illness and he was actually very well cared for at the hospital but he had several complications.”
He explained that he had internal bleeding which caused the heart and the lungs to fail. He said they suspected dengue fever, however, when physicians conducted testing of the dengue, the result was negative.
Dr Durand added that the public should note that the “high risks types of mosquito are the ones that bite two hours before light and two hours before dawn.”
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