An WHO epidemiologist says 26 people in Solomon Islands have been hospitalised with severe dengue fever but there are no deaths from the latest outbreak.
Four new cases of dengue fever were detected in Gizo yesterday and there are now more than 300 suspected cases in Honiara
Dr Francisco Nogareda says the dengue virus is spread by the Aedes mosquito which needs water to breed and takes a week to mature.
He says symptoms of dengue can appear between four and seven days after a mosquito bite.
He says the most common sign of the illness is a high fever and people need to be aware of the symptoms and seek medical advise if they become unwell.
"The main symptom is fever, high fever. And you can have nausea and vomiting, you can have rash. We can also add, its very common aches, pains and headache and back eye pain. This is the classical dengue."
Dr Nogareda says severe signs of dengue include a rash, bleeding and shock, and he says the WHO is trying to standardise training, surveillance, testing and treatment of the disease in Solomon Islands.
