KOROR, Palau (4 August 2004) -- See a doctor if you recently visited Palau and you experience high fever and body aches that feel like your bones are breaking. Guam's Department of Public Health and Social Services is recommending seeing a doctor as a precautionary measure after the Palau Health Ministry confirmed a dengue fever outbreak in the island nation. Palau's dengue outbreak was confirmed just as a few thousand delegates from the Festival of the Pacific Arts in Palau are heading back to their islands or have just returned from the festival. Guam had sent a delegation of about 129 people to the festival, which took place from July 22 to 31. Guam's festival delegation representatives were unavailable for comment as of press time. Dr. Robert Haddock, Guam's territorial epidemiologist, said even without the Guam delegation to Festpac, Guam has always had visitors arriving from Palau, so precautions are encouraged. "We're always concerned when there's a disease outbreak in our neighbor islands. We're worried it might be spread to Guam," Haddock said. | | Guam hasn't had any locally spread dengue since 1944, he said. Hawai'i had a dengue outbreak in 2001, stated the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Dengue, pronounced den' gee, is a disease caused by viruses that are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito, states the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Dengue cannot be spread directly from person to person, according to the CDC. Some infected people may not develop these symptoms, but still carry the virus in their blood, so health officials are advising travelers to be particularly careful to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. SOURCE - Evening Telegraph |
