The Secretariat of the Pacific Community, or SPC, says it is working to contain dengue fever outbreaks in the region by setting up between-country networks to share early outbreak information.
The team leader for surveillance, Adam Roth says the number of dengue fever outbreaks in the region over the past 14 months is unprecedented, and the reason for the increase in cases unknown.
Dr Roth says more research needs to be done on what caused the current outbreak, but says it could have been influenced by humidity, heat or urbanisation.
He says it is important to get information on outbreaks early so that they can be contained.
"If you get in early in an outbreak it's more easy to control it. So we're helping the countries building networks to share early outbreak information. The other thing we're doing is to earlier also confirm what kind of outbreak it is. We are supporting laboratories, building networks of referral between laboratories in the region."
Adam Roth.
