Dengue fever cases have increased to a total of 12 in Shefa province, particularly on Efate Island.
Shefa Health said cases have been confirmed in the councils of Pango (9 cases), Port Vila (2 cases) and Erakor (1 case). 8 of the cases are female and 4 are male.
Some of the cases had recently travelled to Fiji within 15 days before they started showing symptoms – a typical timeframe for dengue symptoms to appear.
The first confirmed case was report on April 8, 2026. So far no hospitalizations or deaths have been reported.
People are advised to seek early medical attention if dengue symptoms develop. They are recommended to take plenty of rest, drink lots of fluid and use paracetamol to manage fever.
Shefa Health advises not to use aspirin and ibuprofen unless recommended by a doctor. People should prevent mosquito bites and eliminate mosquito breeding sites around their homes.
Shefa Health said it would continue to monitor the situation closely.
What you need to know about Dengue fever
Dengue is a viral disease transmitted through Aedes mosquito bites. Symptoms usually develop 4-10 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Common symptoms
- Fever
- Severe headache
- Pain behind the eyes
- Muscle or joint pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Skin rash
Warning signs of severe dengue
- Severe abdominal pain
- Persistent vomiting
- Bleeding from the nose or gums
- Difficulty breathing
- Extreme weakness or restlessness
Source: Shefa Health
