Cook Islands has recorded 33 dengue cases since the outbreak was declared in Rarotonga last month.

In Parliament yesterday, Minister for Health Rose Toki-Brown, in response to questions from Opposition MP Robert Heather about the total number of dengue cases so far, confirmed that of the 33 cases reported, 10 are still infected. However, these 10 cases are no longer hospitalised.

Toki-Brown said that on May 22 there was a clean-up directive by the TMO to the public. The island wide clean up discovered that Cook Islands residents are good at keeping the island clean and free from mosquito breeding places.

According to the TMO situation report update, Operation Namu involved 190 registered participants from both government and private sectors. These participants identified areas for peri-focal and block spraying.

In its recent situation report, TMO said there have been five new dengue cases since June 13, bringing the total active cases to 10.

Most reported cases in Rarotonga have been mild.

TMO states that they continue to manage the current dengue situation effectively with vector control measures, community wide cleaning measures implemented such as slashing and clearing of streams and public awareness campaigns, focusing on eliminating mosquito-breeding sites and recognising dengue symptoms early.

Dengue symptoms include high fever, severe headaches, muscle and joint pain, rash, and in some cases, bleeding. While most cases resolve without complications, severe dengue can require immediate medical attention.