Hundreds of dengue cases reported on the Solomon Islands, fears of it negatively affecting tourism
With the number of dengue fever cases pushing 900 on the Solomon Islands, the government has appointed a National Task Force to deal with the situation on the archipelago, according to a French Tribune report Monday.
Among the rising number of cases of the mosquito borne viral disease, two fatalities were reported.
Fears of a negative impact on the tourism industry, particularly in the capital of Honiara, is prompting a mass clean-up campaign in Honiara on March 20 to remove mosquito breeding grounds, which will involve all city dwellers.
Secretary of Health, Dr. Lester Ross, said a state of emergency has been announced at the national referral hospital so that the staff can defer non-emergency patients and look into the people with recent contamination.