Fiji records Measles and Enteroviruses cases

Fiji's Health Ministry has recorded cases of hand, foot and mouth disease.

These diseases is caused by a family of viruses called enteroviruses.

Permanent Secretary Doctor James Fong says the disease can be mistaken for what many have read about monkeypox.

Thus, he said the ministry was yet to diagnose a case of monkeypox.

Fong says Fiji is in the middle of its chickenpox season, and measles cases have also been noted.

FBC reports the PS says the ministry has released a number of health advisories and guidelines to all clinicians in the public and private sectors in order to facilitate early case identification and reporting.

In addition, as the country enters the cool and dry season, it continues to record an increasing trend in respiratory infections, especially in children.

Fong said it had been expected that as restrictions intended to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 were lifted – including mandatory masking, physical distancing, and school and border closures – other respiratory viruses that normally circulated would begin to re-emerge similar to pre-Covid levels.

 

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