Transcript
Dr Ofanoa says Tonga's health surveillance system has improved, and health officials were able to detect the mumps outbreak quickly.
REYNOLD OFANOA: Since March until August of this year we have seen, in our system about 1600 cases that have been reported to our health facility.
MOERA TUILAEPA-TAYLOR: And that's not only in Nuku’alofa?
RO: That's for the whole of Tonga. That's for Tongatapu and the outer islands as well.
MTT: And obviously most of them were between the ages of five and 14, but a couple of adults as well?
RO: Yeah five to 14 was the common age group that presented, but there were other cases that were outside of that range.
MTT: And I wonder if, with such a high number across the country if the prevention programme will be stepped up to get out to people about the mumps?
RO: Yes, I think we play a part to advise people. Like I told you earlier we have tried to advise people, and [with it] effecting children from five to 14, children in schools as well. And I believe that the risk is there when some children are sick they don't stay home, they continue to stay at school and there's the risk there to spread the disease to other school children because of the high concentration of school kids there at a certain place at a certain point in time.
MTT: and I guess it's hard to find the cause of it all or find the original outbreak, or where is started. I guess it's just spread like wild fire and with kids going back to school and people moving around I guess that's taking the virus.
RO: Yes, we saw it happened in Hawaii and Marshall Islands earlier in the year and you know we have flights that come from those destinations via Fiji or Australia or New Zealand to Tonga so it could have contributed to this being introduced to the country and then starting the outbreak, but we haven't really identified where the initial cases came from. From June until now, week-by-week we have seen a decrease in the number of cases in comparison to the previous week. So that's a good sign and we are hoping that soon, declare that the that the outbreak will be over.
