7 Apr 2011

Flu revival fears after outbreak on Fiji's Rotuma island

1:26 pm on 7 April 2011

A flu outbreak on the island of Rotuma in Fiji's north has prompted the World Health Organisation to warn that a second wave of the H1N1 epidemic is likely to occur within the next three months based on current regional trends.

Fijivillage reports that last month 186 influenza cases were recorded on Rotuma and one person died.

The victim was reportedly a 30-year-old man with no history of risks such as diabetes, heart disease or obesity.

The WHO Disease Communicable Disease expert Dr Jacob Kool says six of the cases were confirmed H1N1 with a high prevalence in 11 to 12 year olds.