Mosquito-borne virus epidemics sweeping Pacific region have social and economic costs

Political leaders in the Pacific are being warned that mosquito-borne viruses could have serious social and economic costs for the next five years. The region is dealing with an unprecedented chain of dengue fever, zika virus and chikungunya epidemics. The chief medical officer for the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Dr Yvan Souares, says countries could have been better prepared as they watched their neighbours grapple with outbreaks. Dr Souares says rapidly growing international air travel is the main driver of the epidemics, as exemplified by the emergence of zika virus in French Polynesia and its spread to neighbouring New Caledonia via passengers on direct flights. “New Caledonia has been documenting imported cases from French Polynesia non-stop since late November, and they’re currently facing an epidemic of zika virus,” he said. Dr Souares says regional governments will have to deal with the impact of the current outbreaks for several more years if a similar situation...