Sixth child in Samoa succumbs to dengue fever

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Samoa Observer is reporting a sixth death from dengue fever in Samoa.

“It is difficult to bear these sorrows, "Ta lelava tauave nei mafatiaga,” said the grieving mother of a seven-year-old child who is Samoa’s sixth young child to succumb to dengue, as she struggles to cope with the heartbreaking loss amid a family tragedy.

Her child was admitted to Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit after initially being brought in with a fever and sent home. When the fever intensified, the family returned to the hospital the next day, where the child was admitted for treatment. Despite the efforts of medical staff, the child succumbed to dengue.

This latest death marks the sixth young life claimed by the ongoing dengue outbreak in Samoa. All fatalities so far have been children, including the tragic case of a two-year-old who died shortly after their nine-year-old sibling passed away. The child’s body is currently at Tuasivi Hospital in Savaii, where the mother has remained since the loss.

To date, Samoa has reported hundreds of suspected dengue cases, many requiring hospitalization.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed a critical shortage of dengue test kits, forcing doctors and nurses to diagnose cases based on clinical symptoms alone — a method last widely used during the 2019 measles outbreak.

Acting Deputy Director General for Hospital and Clinical Services, Ulugia Dr. Tito Kamu, acknowledged the shortage and explained that health workers have been instructed to rely on clinical assessments due to the scarcity of testing supplies.

In the meantime, Samoa's acting general health director Tagaloa Dr Robert Thomsen has been looking for volunteers to help with nation-wide dengue fumigation.

More than 5,000 people have been clinically diagnosed with dengue in the country since January.

Tagaloa said with only 15 teams of four people they've had to ask other ministries for help.

Meanwhile, New Zealand is sending a small health team and $300,000 worth of medical supplies to Samoa to assist.

AMERICAN SAMOA

No deaths have been reported in American Samoa to date, with preventive measures by the local Department of Health (ASDOH) continuing to be focused at the village level as well as at government school facilities.

According to a press release from the Department of Education, DOE Director Maefau Dr Mary Taufetee has decided to delay the start of all public schools from August 25 to September 2 after being informed of the status of dengue fever in both Samoas.

Samoa News understands that private schools are continuing to start their schools as normal. The delay currently applies only to public schools.

ASDOH has stated that as of Aug. 7th there were 34 confirmed cases of Dengue Fever in American Samoa. Most are reported as ‘imported’ to date.