Marshalls confirms first dengue death
A six-year-old girl has been confirmed as the first person to die from dengue fever in the Marshall Islands.
The girl was reported to have been taken to Majuro hospital last Thursday after experiencing a headache, where she was given medicine and sent back home.
But she returned to hospital on Sunday because she was vomiting blood and died on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Health and Human Services confirmed in a statement that the death was caused by dengue.
"This is a tragic event and out of respect to the affected family and friends, further details about this case will not be released," said Health Secretary Jack Niedenthal.
The dengue outbreak, now at the two-month mark, continues to spread with 276 cases of suspected and confirmed dengue reported by the Ministry of Health and Environment.
To date, dengue has been reported only in the two urban centres, Ebeye and Majuro.
The dengue seen in the Marshall Islands is Type-3, the same as reported in ongoing outbreaks in Palau, Federated States of Micronesia and the Philippines.�
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