All of Samoa now affected by chikungunya

Transcript

Samoa's Ministry of Health says the whole of Samoa is now affected by chikungunya.

Tuliau Dr Seine Vaai-Nielsen Tuliau she says there are more than 2,500 confirmed cases, not counting the unreported ones.

Our correspondent in Samoa, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, told Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor, chikungunya is now an issue in all of Samoa.

AUTAGAVAIA TIPI AUTAGAVAIA:  Yes, looking at the districts, the whole of Samoa has been affected by chikungunya. The Ministry of Health has released the latest figures and also with more advisories for the public to continue on the safety measures from the chikungunya because the number of people affected from October to November has increased to 259, and the total so far as of July, according to Ministry of Health figures is over 2,500 people with chikungunya. The National Health Services and the Ministry of Health in an email said the reason why these figures were released, and also a call for public to continue on with safety measures was because people stopped listening to advisories following the UN SIDs conference. But there are concerns the rainy season is now here and Health officials are worried that will mean an increase in areas in where mosquitoes can breed.

MOERA TUILAEPA-TAYLOR:  I was wondering where to Autagavaia? The Minister of Health says there are more than 2500 confirmed cases of chikungunya. I guess there are concerns about people who have not reported they have
chikungunya as well.

ATA:  Yes, that's true, there's a lot of unreported cases of chikungunya, speaking of my own family, my wife's niece got chikungunya, she was taken to hospital and she was given prescriptions, panadol and was also advised to rest, and after that it was my daughter, son and wife, those 3 cases were not taken to hospital for records but three of them treated at home because now we know chikungunya can be treated easily.

MTT:  I suppose the Ministry of Health also raised concerns that people with other illnesses or the elderly, pregnant women, young children, they might be affected more by chikungunya.

ATA:  Yes because looking also at the figures of these people who have been affected, there's a lot of young people and children, and now a number of adults are also increasing.  So I think that's where the concern from the Minstry comes from.