Health authorities in American Samoa have confirmed three cases of dengue fever, imported from outside the territory.
In an advisory posted on social media, the department said the disease was detected in three travellers who had arrived in the US territory from Samoa, which has declared a dengue fever outbreak. The department said there were no confirmed locally acquired cases.
Dengue fever, a virus transmitted by mosquitoes, could cause symptoms such as high fever, headache, body aches, nausea, and rash. In severe cases, it could be fatal.
"While there is no confirmed local transmission in American Samoa at this time, the presence of dengue in travellers returning from these affected countries increases the risk of the virus being introduced and spread locally by mosquitoes," the social media post read.
Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, and the Cook Islands have all declared dengue fever outbreaks.
The Western Samoan health department offered advice for travellers from countries with dengue activity, advising them to monitor their health for 14 days on return.
"Be alert for symptoms such as fever, rash, body aches, headache, or nausea. Seek medical care immediately if you develop symptoms and inform your physician of any travel history.
"To avoid spreading the virus, protect yourself from mosquito bites — use repellents, wear long sleeves, stay in screened or air-conditioned areas."
In April, a 12-year-old flown from Samoa to Starship Hospital in Auckland died after contracting the virus.
Tonga had reported 884 cases of dengue fever up to June 27.
Samoa's Ministry of Health said: "Dengue fever hasn’t gone away", and urged people to take precautions to avoid it.
"Understanding when Aedes mosquitoes bite is crucial in preventing dengue. They are most active during early morning (6am-8am) and evening hours (4pm - 6pm).
"Find all mosquito breeding sites; for example, old tyres, containers, pots and coconut shells.
"Destroy by removing and destroying these sites, we cut off their life cycle, reducing mosquito populations and protecting our communities from dengue fever."
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