New Zealand High Commission Honiara, Solomon Islands
Information for visitors from the Solomon Islands Ministry of Health
For your safety, the Solomon Islands Ministry of Health would like to inform all visitors that dengue fever has been identified in Honiara. Dengue Fever is caused by a virus that is spread by mosquito bites. Dengue has recently caused illness in other areas of the regions including Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Kosrae and Yap States (Micronesia), Niue, Kiribati, and New Caledonia.
Fortunately, Dengue can be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites through the use of insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved clothing or staying within the screened or air-conditioned areas. The mosquitos that transmit dengue prefer to bite around dawn and dusk, but can bite all day long.
The usual incubation period (from infected bite to illness) is usually 3-7 days. Symptoms of dengue are fever, muscle pain, head ache, pain behind the eyes, and sometimes rash. Occasionally, dengue causes more serious disease and signs of this include severe vomiting, abdominal pain, bleeding from gums or nose, or blood in the stool.
If you become ill after leaving the Solomon Islands please see you doctor and tell him/her about your recent travel, including that dengue transmission in currently ongoing.