By Lagi Keresoma/
Apia, Samoa – 14 April 2025 – The death of a 12 year old boy from dengue fever in the weekend in New Zealand has caused a health concern in Samoa.
The boy was admitted at the Moto’otua National Hospital in Apia last week and later transferred via medivac to New Zealand last Saturday. However, he passed away soon after.
The family travelled from Fiji last month and have been in Samoa since.
When the boy fell ill and hospitalized, his family sought urgent help for blood donations and there was a positive response to the public appeal.
The Health Director Aiono Dr. Alec Ekeroma who arrived in the country from overseas in the weekend has yet to respond to emails sent to him about the case.
In the meantime, Fiji has declared a dengue fever outbreak in its central division recording 1090 confirmed cases from January to March 2025.
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness that is common in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Mild dengue fever causes a high fever and flu-like symptoms. The severe form of dengue fever, also called dengue hemorrhagic fever, can cause serious bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure (shock) and death.
