Dengue in the Pacific: A Growing Multicountry Crisis (As of June 16, 2026)

Since January 1, 2025, there have been 11 reported dengue outbreaks in the Pacific Islands Countries and areas (PICs).

The following PICs reported dengue outbreaks in 2025: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu. In 2025, a total of 21,258 confirmed cases and 21 deaths were reported across the Pacific Dengue-related fatalities were reported in Fiji (8 deaths), Samoa (7 deaths), Tonga (3 deaths), Nauru (2 deaths), and Kiribati (1 death).

The dengue outbreaks in Fiji and Tonga were declared over in August 2025, while French Polynesia's two-year surge officially ended in November.

Between January 1, 2026, and June 11, 2026, a total of 3,708 confirmed dengue cases, 156 hospitalizations, and 3 deaths were reported across the Pacific.

According to the Pacific Syndromic Surveillance System (PSSS), a total of 7,285 Dengue-like Illness (DLI) cases have been reported to date, with a lower trend compared to the same period last year.

In 2026, dengue outbreaks were officially declared in New Caledonia and Tonga.

The most affected countries and areas this year include: Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Samoa, and New Caledonia, which account for 94% of the confirmed cases.

At present, Dengue serotype-1 (DENV-1) and serotype-2 (DENV-2) are currently in circulation.

Cook Islands declared the end of its outbreak on May 25, 2026.