Pacific Mosquito Conference Highlights Record Dengue Season
The Pacific Mosquito Surveillance Strengthening for Impact (PacMOSSI) conference convened in Nadi, Fiji, following one of the worst dengue fever seasons on record in the region.
A Season of Devastation
In 2025, more than 20,000 dengue cases were reported across at least 10 Pacific Island countries — the highest regional count in over a decade.
The health crisis has been severe:
- At least 21 deaths have been confirmed
- The worst-affected countries — Fiji, French Polynesia, Samoa, and Tonga — accounted for over 94% of cases
- Children under 18 were the most impacted age group
Health officials caution that the actual burden is likely higher due to gaps in diagnostic capacity.
The Rising Threat of Vector-Borne Disease
PacMOSSI was established in 2020 in response to increasing vector-borne diseases in the Pacific, a trend directly attributed to climate change. The consortium includes:
- The Pacific Community
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
- Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research
- Institut Pasteur New Caledonia
- Beyond Essential Systems
Dr. Tessa Knox, director of PacMOSSI and public health expert at James Cook University, stated that warmer, wetter conditions increase mosquito proliferation and extend dengue seasons.
Dengue fever, transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, causes severe headaches, joint and muscle pain, and rashes — and can be fatal. Control efforts are particularly challenging due to the mosquitoes' preference for human habitats, including water storage containers and discarded tires.
Conference Priorities: Tools, Technology, and Local Solutions
Delegates at the Nadi conference discussed critical challenges and innovations:
- Mosquito resistance to insecticides
- Access to control supplies during crises
- Community engagement for spraying operations
- Digital tools for surveillance and data sharing
- New technologies using mosquito biology for control
Dr. Knox emphasized the need for locally tailored mitigation measures, noting the diverse nature of Pacific island nations requires flexible, context-specific approaches.
Lesieli Mahe from Tonga's Ministry of Health stated that regional initiatives prevent the need to start from scratch during outbreaks and provide baseline data for effective response.
A Note for Australia
While dengue incidence has fallen in far north Queensland, Dr. Knox cautioned that Australia must remain vigilant due to the risk of Aedes albopictus incursions on the mainland.
She also highlighted that Australian-developed controls have been successfully exported to other Pacific countries, including Kiribati, Vanuatu, Fiji, and New Caledonia — demonstrating the value of cross-border collaboration in the fight against mosquito-borne disease.