By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – An outbreak of typhoid in Fiji has caused the Ministry of Health and Fiji’s Red Cross to take action.

To date, the Ministry has identified ninety-nine cases, mostly from Fiji’s Central and Western Divisions.  More tests are currently being conducted to confirm whether certain suspected individuals may have contracted the disease.

Potential cases usually take between three and four days to be confirmed.  In the meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is continuing its investigations in those communities that have been subjected to typhoid.

The Ministry is attempting to prevent the spread of typhoid across Fiji, although most regions have already been affected to some degree.  Iliesa Tora, a representative of the Ministry, stated that Fijians must practice good hygiene in order to prevent further spreading.

In addition, they will be giving fresh water to those areas that have been affected.  Fifty volunteers with Fiji’s Red Cross will also be providing support and spreading awareness of the disease to the public.

Mr. Tora has indicated that most of the cases that have been identified thus far have come from rural areas.  In these areas, where the water is mostly untreated or not treated on a consistent basis, people are exposed to the water as they tend to do their activities there.

Fiji issued a typhoid alert just last week, and the number of cases has dramatically increased.  This past weekend alone, thirty cases of typhoid may have been identified in Waibasaga Village in Naitasiri.  Officials suspect that these individuals, who had diarrhea, had contracted it.  Diarrhea is one of the symptoms of typhoid.

Typhoid is caused by the contamination of food and water supplies.

Despite warnings issued by the Ministry of Health, one village continued to hold large public gatherings.  As a result, Fijian troops were put in place to control the outbreak.

For more information please see:
Fiji Times – Typhoid stays at 99 – 02 March 2010

Top News – Fiji Typhoid Outbreak Worsen, Red Cross Volunteers Offer Services – 02 March 2010

Fiji Times – Red Cross moots change – 01 March 2010

Fiji Times – Visit reveals challenges – 01 March 2010

Radio New Zealand International – Typhoid cases in Fiji increase – 28 February 2010

Australia Network News – Village fails to heed Fiji typhoid outbreak – 23 February 2010