The Pacific is fighting the worst outbreak of dengue in ten years, reported 16,500 cases and 17 deaths in 2025 as per the WHO and Pacific health bodies. Others that have been worst hit and have declared emergencies and stepped up their activities to contain the mosquitoes include Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. According to experts, climate change has been fuelling the longer transmission periods, increased rainfall, and high humidity that Aedes mosquitoes thrive in.
Since its outbreak, Samoa has registered six deaths, Fiji eight and Tonga three. Although countries have initiated clean-ups, spraying and health campaigns, scientists caution that such efforts are being frustrated by weak surveillance and responsive strategies to long-term control.
Pacific countries produce only 0.03 percent of the world emissions yet are under the extreme climate-related health threats. Dengue is particularly warned by scientists as a foreshadowing of broader climate-related disease risks, which may grow as the global temperature increases.
