[This is another update of the dengue situation in New Caledonia, based on the latest official report from the Department of Health of New Caledonia. Thanks to Dr. JP Grangeon and Nancy Klingler for keeping PACNET focal point posted - TK]. As mentioned in previous messages, the weekly number of new cases has been still continuously increasing since December 1997; 1,819 cases were notified from 1 January to 4 May 1998; 938 of the 943 new cases for which the type of dengue was confirmed were type 2 dengue -- the 5 remaining ones were type 3 dengue (reported in the previous update); no other confirmed type 3 dengue new case has been reported since the last update. No death was reported. Dengue seems to be mainly a problem in the area of and around Noumea: the major part of the new cases of the 4 weeks prior to 4 May 1998 are from Noumea (32.4%) and Mont-Dore (15.8%), the rest being from all over the territory (with some exceptions like "Ile des Pins" where no cases have been reported at all in 1998). The weekly number of clinical new cases (including the confirmed ones) from the week starting on 24/11/97 (week 48 of 1997) to the week starting on 27/04/98 (week 18 of 1998) is shown below:
| Year | Week | Number of dengue new cases |
| 1997 | 48 | 0 |
| 49 | 8 | |
| 50 | 10 | |
| 51 | 10 | |
| 52 | 14 | |
| 1998 | 1 | 13 |
| 2 | 31 | |
| 3 | 61 | |
| 4 | 55 | |
| 5 | 91 | |
| 6 | 81 | |
| 7 | 60 | |
| 8 | 76 | |
| 9 | 90 | |
| 10 | 150 | |
| 11 | 144 | |
| 12 | 160 | |
| 13 | 115 | |
| 14 | 173 | |
| 15 | 178 | |
| 16 | 126(*) | |
| 17 | 167(*) | |
| 18 | 48(*) |
(*) The number of reported cases for the last weeks may be incomplete. The Department of Heath is still aggressively applying perifocal vector control measures including insecticide spraying and reduction of mosquito breeding sites.-- Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network <PACNET@LISTSERV.SPC.ORG.NC> & Tom Kiedrzynski <TomK@SPC.ORG.NC> VIA ProMED-mail <promed@usa.healthnet.org>.