Hundreds affected by dengue in Palau

The Palau Ministry of Health has confirmed over 200 cases of dengue with a surge in cases in recent weeks.

The dengue outbreak began in November last year.

According to the Ministry of Health, there were 290 cases from January to June, with the majority occurring in the capital.

Last month there were 106 cases alone.

Nearly half the dengue victims are people aged between 10 and 29 years, with more males affected than females.

The state government is undertaking an aggressive cleanup of Koror, aiming to remove breeding sites for mosquitoes.

In April and May three people died as a result of dengue infection among patients with pre-existing medical conditions.

Health officials are advising that people should seek medical attention as soon as symptoms appear.