World Health Organisation

The Team Coordinator, Health Security and Communicable Diseases, Angela Merianos, says outbreaks were reported from American Samoa, Fiji, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu in 2017.

She said Wallis and Futuna has had an outbreak of dengue type 1, with French Polynesia and New Caledonia having both serotypes 1 and 2 of the illness.

Dr Merianos said Niue has had types 2 and 4, with Kiribati recently reporting type 2 dengue fever.

At least 18 reported cases, and a couple more, were said to have suffered food poisoning after catching a foodborne illness circulating at the restaurant over the Mother’s Day weekend.

But the restaurant believes this incident is unrelated to food preparation standards.

Still, officials were alerted on Wednesday, May 17. 

A full team of officers from NCDC Health, National Health department and World Health Organisation jointly inspected the hotel on Monday, May 22.

NCDC Health did a health and sanitation inspection on the same day.

Health officials were trying to trace 125 people thought to be linked to the cases identified in the remote northeastern province of Bas-Uele, near the border with Central African Republic, World Health Organisation (WHO) Congo spokesman Eugene Kabambi said.

Three people have so far died among the 19 suspected and confirmed cases, he added.

Experts say to prevent the spread of the virus they must quickly track down, test, isolate and treat suspected cases. They also need to protect health workers and educate the population about hygiene measures.

WHO country representative to PNG, Dr. Pieter Van Maaren said the media’s role in this area is very important.

Maaren said, “Stand with us, stand with the health workers and our partners to eliminate gender- based violence in PNG.”

Maaren urged PNG journalist to create awareness and stand together in line with the Human Together campaign launched by the WHO regional office for the Western Pacific to address this social illness.

As reported by Port Moresby General Hospital Family Support Centre (FSC), the centre helps over 100 survivors every month and 12 new cases daily.

WHO country representative to PNG, Dr. Pieter Van Maaren says health workers must work with survivors of violence to help them stay safe and connect them to other service they may need.

Maaren said, “Health workers should ask the right questions, listen with compassion and reassure victims of violence that it is not their fault.

“They must work with stakeholders to raise awareness of the consequences of GBV.”

In conjunction with the 16 Days of Activism against G-B-V, the World Health Organisation (WHO) came together with the Port Moresby General Hospital’s Family Support Centre (FSC) to show their support to end gender-based violence.

Staff of WHO took the time to stand together in solidarity with c PMGH FSC to add voices to those against violence with the message “Gender-based violence is not inevitable and can be tackled”.

Its report warns parents are often unaware of the sheer volume of such adverts as they are precisely targeting children.

The WHO also criticised governments for failing to keep up with a revolution in the way people consume media.

Children's doctors said strict measures were needed to stop childhood obesity.

A new report from the body found that raising prices by 20% or more results in lower consumption and "improved nutrition".

The global health group has previously advised a lower sugar intake, but stopped short of backing tax measures.

Several countries, including Mexico and Hungary, already tax added sugar products.

South Africa is introducing a sugar tax next year. It's the only country in Africa to do so.

Doctors at the Spallanzani Institute for Infectious Diseases in Rome said it pointed to the possibility that the virus was reproducing itself in the male genital tract.

The infection is suspected of leading to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains.

Zika is spread by mosquitos.

The outbreak was declared a global public health emergency by the World Health Organisation in February.

TB Taskforce and Emergency Response Committee member and World Health Organisation (WHO) representative, Dr Pieter van Maaren said that TB is a time bomb waiting to go off.

Maaren said that TB and multi-drug-resistant TB (MDR TB) in particular is an area that needs to be addressed as the country is going to face major problems if we can’t get the message across.

He said a high proportion of the population is already infected with the disease.