23 May 2018

Baby dies of dengue fever in New Caledonia

10:50 am on 23 May 2018

A baby has died of dengue fever in New Caledonia.

A government statement said the six-month-old girl died on Saturday just hours after being taken to hospital.

It is the second fatality in the latest dengue outbreak, which in February was officially declared to be an epidemic.

In March, a 74-year-old woman died of the mosquito-borne illness.

Last year's epidemic claimed 11 lives and officially affected 4,500 people.

The Asian tiger mosquito is one of the vectors responsible for transmitting dengue fever.

The Asian tiger mosquito is one of the vectors responsible for transmitting dengue fever. Photo: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

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