Notifications about epidemics and new diseases in the Pacific, as of June 11, 2024 – World

Highlights/updates since the last map was posted to PacNet on June 4, 2024:

Dengue

• French Polynesia: On EpiWeek 22, one new case of dengue was confirmed out of 34 samples tested. As of June 6, two new cases were reported on EpiWeek 23, bringing the total number of reported cases to 55 (48 confirmed cases and 7 probable cases) since November 27, 2023. There have been no deaths or hospitalizations reported during this period. The blue alert remains in place. – Source: Bulletin sanitaire de Polynésie française no. 22 -2024 made available to the PPHSN contact point on June 8, 2024.
• Samoa: There were 17 new laboratory-confirmed cases of dengue reported on EpiWeek 22, bringing the total to 418 since November 2023. No dengue-related deaths were reported during this period. The most affected age groups are children under 10 years of age and adults over 60 years of age. The most affected areas are the north-west of Upolu (NWU) and the Apia urban area (AUA). Serotyping results are still pending. The blue alert remains in place. – Source: Samoa Ministry of Health Dengue Outbreak Situation Report No. 14, Epiweek 22 – Dengue epidemic situation report in Samoa – Government of Samoa (samoagovt.ws) accessed: June 11, 2024

Influenza A

• Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI): On EpiWeek 22, the CNMI reported a decline in ILI cases from 60 in EpiWeek 21 to 30 in EpiWeek 22, a 59% decline from the previous three weeks. The tests confirmed 1 case of influenza A, 3 cases of pneumonia, 1 case of bronchitis, 7 cases Streptococcus and 11 cases of upper respiratory tract infection (URI). After two weeks of decline in reported cases of influenza A the red alert is changed to a blue alert. – Source: CNMI Weekly Surveillance Report 2024 – EPI Week 22 shared with the PPHSN Focal Point on June 6, 2024.
• French Polynesia: EpiWeek 22 out of 111 tests conducted, 31 new confirmed cases were reported (30 cases of influenza A and 1 case of influenza B). Of the reported cases, 12 were hospitalized, including 2 in the ICU. Since April 1, 333 cases of influenza have been confirmed, of which 153 required hospitalization and 8 deaths. Of the 21 samples sent by the Hospital Center of French Polynesia (‘Centre Hospitalier Polynésie Française’, CHPF) to the reference laboratory in France, 14 samples correspond to the subtype A/H3N2. It should be noted that the clade identified does not correspond to the strains included in the 2023-2024 Northern Hemisphere vaccine. After two weeks of decline in reported cases of influenza A the red alert is changed to a blue alert. – Source: Bulletin sanitaire de Polynésie française no. 22 -2024 made available to the PPHSN contact point on June 8, 2024.

Other informations:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

• Australia: Over the last few weeks, an increased number of cases of Covid-19 infection have been recorded in the Łódź Voivodeship Australian Capital Territory (June 6, 2024), New South Wales (June 1, 2024), Queensland (June 2, 2024), South Australia (June 7, 2024) i Tasmania (June 7, 2024). COVID-19 whole genome sequencing data from New South Wales shows an increasing incidence of KP.2, KP.3 and KW.1.1, which are sublineages of JN.1, now called “FLiRT” variants and classified as variants under surveillance ( VUM ) by WHO. – Sources: ACT COVID-19 statistics – COVID-19, New South Wales Respiratory Surveillance – COVID-19 and Influenza – COVID-19 (Coronavirus), Surveillance reports for acute respiratory infections | Queensland Health, COVID-19 Dashboard | Health SA, Weekly update – acute respiratory infection activity in Tasmania | Tasmania Department of Health accessed: June 11, 2024
• Hawaii: From May 28 to June 3, 1,179 additional cases of Covid-19 were reported. The data shows an increase in the average test positivity rate from 10.5% to 14.7% and an average daily count of 144 Covid-19 cases statewide over the 7-day period. On average, there are 96 hospitalizations per day, six patients in ICU beds and three reported deaths. The 7-day average daily case count increased in four counties. – Source: Disease Epidemic Control Division | COVID-19 | State of Hawaii – Department of Health (hawaii.gov) accessed: June 11, 2024

Dengue

• Australia, Queensland: As of June 3, 2024, EpiWeek 21 reported 19 cases of dengue on Mer Island in the Torres Strait Islands Local Government Area, bringing the total number of outbreak cases to 23. Five of these cases were identified as dengue type 3, while when serotypes were not determined for the remaining cases. – Source: Reports on Reportable Conditions: Summary Information | Queensland Health accessed: June 11, 2024
• New Zealand: EpiWeek 23 reported three cases of arbovirus (2 cases of dengue fever (one confirmed, one under investigation) and 1 case of chikungunya) in New Zealand. Confirmed cases entered Thailand during the incubation period. A probable case of chikungunya has reached Indonesia. Dengue and chikungunya do not occur in New Zealand, so this figure does not reflect the risk associated with New Zealand, but rather the risk to travelers to New Zealand. – Source: New Zealand Arbovirus Notification Report by Country (23: 01/06/2024 – 07/06/2024) shared with the PPHSN focal point by ESR on 10 June 2024.
• Tonga: On EpiWeek 22, the Ministry of Health reported three cases of dengue. Three cases tested positive for NS1 and are still being investigated. Community information and awareness activities are ongoing. – Source: Report on weekly epidemiological surveillance of symptoms of infectious diseases from week 22 (27/05/2024 – 02/06/2024) made available to the PPHSN contact point on June 5, 2024.

Influenza and other respiratory viruses

• Australia, New South Wales: In EpiWeek 22, flu cases are on the rise, emergency room admissions and positive tests have increased to 9.6%, while respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains high despite a decline in cases among younger children. The highest reporting rates for RSV and influenza occur in younger age groups, and whooping cough and pneumonia are extremely common among school-age children. – Source: New South Wales Respiratory Surveillance Report – Week ending June 1, 2024 – New South Wales Respiratory Surveillance – COVID-19 and Influenza – COVID-19 (Coronavirus) accessed: June 11, 2024
• Wallis and Futuna: In EpiWeek 21, circulation of rhinoviruses/enteroviruses was observed from mid-March to mid-May. The Health Agency has been monitoring the actual RSV epidemic since Epidemiology Week 20 following a sharp increase in hospitalizations (27) related to the co-circulation of respiratory viruses, including rhinovirus/enterovirus/RSV. The average age of hospitalized patients is 14 years. – Source: Bulletin de surveillance épidémiologique 04/2024 – Semaines 17/2024 to 21/2024 (Données du 25/04/2024 au 26/05/2024) made available to the PPHSN contact point on June 10, 2024.