Pacific Health Surveillance Tracks Multiple Outbreaks as Dengue and Influenza Cases Rise
Public health authorities across the Pacific region are responding to outbreaks of dengue fever and influenza, with updates detailing case counts in Samoa, the Marshall Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, and New Caledonia through mid-October 2026. The surveillance data highlights localized transmission surges, strained hospital capacity, and ongoing vector control measures across several island nations.
In Samoa, the Ministry of Health reported 64 new dengue cases for EpiWeek 40, marking a 73 percent increase from the previous week. According to the Ministry of Health Samoa dengue outbreak situation report, the country has recorded 20,374 clinically diagnosed cases, 5,547 laboratory-confirmed cases, and nine dengue-related deaths since January 1, 2025. Children under the age of 15 account for 73 percent of all recorded cases, with DENV-1 making up 52 percent and DENV-2 making up 48 percent of serotyped samples. A blue alert for both serotypes remains active.
Meanwhile, the Republic of the Marshall Islands Ministry of Health and Human Services recorded 156 positive confirmed and probable dengue cases out of 501 tested specimens across Majuro and Ebeye between August 15 and October 15. The Cabinet declared a state of disaster for El Niño and the dengue outbreak on October 8, 2026. Only the DENV-1 serotype has been detected, and vector control teams have completed household spraying for positive cases alongside treating 26 schools and 60 churches.
Vanuatu Declares New Dengue Outbreak on Malekula Island
Vanuatu’s Ministry of Health declared a dengue outbreak on Malekula Island within Malampa Province on October 15, 2026. Malampa Provincial Health identified 22 dengue cases on the island, including six laboratory-confirmed instances, following local transmission detected between October 2 and October 12. Malekula is now the fourth island with a declared outbreak, following Efate, Santo, and Tanna. Free testing is available at Norsup Hospital while authorities scale up mosquito control and community awareness campaigns under an active red alert for DENV-1.
In the Federated States of Micronesia, the Yap State Department of Health Services noted that diarrhoea remained on alert for an eighth consecutive week in EpiWeek 41. Although weekly cases dropped to 9 from 16, the figure stays above the alert threshold of 7. Gastrointestinal testing identified adenovirus, enteropathogenic E. coli, enteroaggregative E. coli, and rotavirus A.
New Caledonia and Tonga Confront Intense Influenza Waves
New Caledonia continues to grapple with an intense influenza A epidemic, though transmission is beginning to level off. The Direction des Affaires Sanitaires et Sociales de Nouvelle-Calédonie reported 130 laboratory-confirmed cases for EpiWeek 41, down from 151 the prior week, with test positivity falling from 65 percent to 55 percent. The A(H1N1)pdm09 strain accounts for the vast majority of subtyped cases. The outbreak continues to strain medical infrastructure, with intensive care bed occupancy exceeding 80 percent on eight of the past fourteen days.
In Tonga, the Ministry of Health recorded 137 influenza-like illness cases in EpiWeek 41, marking the seventh consecutive weekly increase and the highest weekly count of 2026. Severe acute respiratory infections rose to 20, pushing past the alert threshold. Between August 3 and October 11, 156 of 336 tested ILI cases (46.4 percent) were positive for influenza A, and three deaths among SARI patients have been recorded. A red alert for influenza A remains in effect.
Further south, the Agence de régulation de l’action sanitaire et sociale in French Polynesia reported 10 influenza A cases for EpiWeek 41, alongside plans to launch an influenza vaccination campaign on October 26, 2026. The territory’s previous 2025–2026 wave resulted in 200 hospitalisations, 23 intensive care admissions and 13 deaths.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Pacific Outbreaks
Which dengue serotypes are currently circulating in the Marshall Islands?
Only the DENV-1 serotype has been detected in Majuro and Ebeye, according to situation reports from the Marshall Islands Ministry of Health and Human Services.
How many islands in Vanuatu have active dengue outbreaks?
Malekula Island is the fourth island in Vanuatu with a declared dengue outbreak, joining Efate, Santo, and Tanna.
What is the status of bird flu monitoring in Australia?
The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry national H5 bird flu dashboard recorded 713 confirmed events in wildlife as of October 16, 2026, with no reported cases in any Pacific Island country or territory.
When does French Polynesia begin its next influenza vaccination campaign?
The Agence de régulation de l’action sanitaire et sociale scheduled the French Polynesia influenza vaccination campaign to start on October 26, 2026.
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