Dengue pandemic in Pacific: WHO
Updated
The World Health Organisation's representative in Samoa says too much money is being spent on preventing birdflu from reaching the Pacific at the expense of combatting dengue fever.
The WHO has declared a dengue pandemic in the Pacific and is calling for a co-ordinated regional response to the situation.
Dr Kevin Palmer has told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program that thousands of cases of the virus have been confirmed across the region and the number is increasing.
"It's gotten so that it's having an impact not only the health of the people of the Pacific but also on the economies which rely on tourism and dengue basically kill off their tourism industry," Dr Palmer said.
