New Zealand: boy dies of dengue fever in Auckland

A 12-year-old boy died of dengue fever in Auckland last week. The boy, publicly identified as Misiafa Nathaniel Lene, contracted the disease while holidaying in Samoa with his family. After falling ill, he was medically evacuated to New Zealand and hospitalised at Auckland’s Starship Children’s Hospital. Despite every effort, including surgery to relieve pressure on his brain, he died in hospital on Sunday, April 13. According to his parents, his condition deteriorated quickly, passing from a simple fever to vomiting blood and bleeding from the ears. The family is from Samoa and returned to the country last month for the funeral of the boy’s grandfather, deciding later to remain there for a short holiday. The boy’s parents thanked the Samoan government for paying half of the expenses of their son’s medical evacuation to New Zealand.
Dengue fever is a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people. Its symptoms include fever, sore joints and muscles, pain behind the eyes, and a rash. In the Pacific, several countries are facing severe outbreaks of the disease, including Fiji, which has reported over 5000 cases since January. Samoa has also reported 15 confirmed cases since the beginning of the year, declaring officially an outbreak on April 17. Misiafa’s death is the first dengue-related death reported in the country this year. Due to the outbreaks, New Zealanders travelling to neighbouring countries in the Pacific are advised to take precautions.