Dengue emergency declared

AMERICAN SAMOA – Health authorities in American Samoa say they needed to declare a health emergency over dengue in order to access federal funds. The emergency was declared on 3 March. Eight cases of dengue have been confirmed in the latest outbreak. Questions have been raised over the declaration after no emergency was declared when people died of dengue two years ago. American Samoa’s Director of Health Motusa Tuileama Nua said the declaration means the territory can ask for federal money to help prevent, diagnose and treat dengue. He pointed to the Zika outbreak in the territory for which the US government has provided US$5 million for the next three years.