Fiji has recorded 501 dengue fever cases cross nation so far this year, the government-owned Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) reported Wednesday.
In the island country's Northern Division, Macuata Province alone recorded the highest number of cases at 378, and in the Western Division, where the tourism town of Nadi is, 56 cases have been recorded, while in the Central Division, where the capital of Suva is located, 47 cases have been recorded, figures from the Ministry of Health showed.
Dengue fever is caused by the dengue virus which is spread from dengue infected individuals to well dengue-free persons by the black-and-white striped female Aedes when it takes a blood meal.
Once an individual contracts dengue, the person manifests symptoms of the disease four to 10 days later.
The typical symptoms of dengue fever include fever (sudden onset), intense headache (especially behind the eyes), muscle and joint pains, flushed skin or rashes on the arms and legs, and perhaps minor bleeding of the gums and/or nose.
Last year, 15 people died from dengue with over 25,000 suspected dengue cases in Fiji, the FBC said.
The Ministry of Health is urging the public to use mosquito repellent and destroy mosquito-breeding places such as stagnant water.