SUVA, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Vanuatu's Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed an outbreak of Ciguatera Fish Poisoning across the country, with 44 cases reported from early January to mid-February this year.
Cases have been reported on six islands: Efate, Tanna, Ambae, Pentecost, Maewo and Santo, according to the Vanuatu Daily Post on Saturday.
The majority of the cases occurred on Efate and involve mainly young adults aged 15-34, with men making up half of those infected.
Most people reported eating different types of reef fish before becoming ill. The number of cases declined in January but has steadily increased since the first week of February.
Over the past three weeks, cases have exceeded the national alert threshold of five cases per week, with a peak of 12 cases recorded in the third week of February, the report said.
According to the MOH, cases are increasing due to very hot weather and heavy rainfall, which create conditions that allow the algae responsible for ciguatera to grow more rapidly.
Ciguatera is a foodborne illness acquired by eating predatory reef fish that have accumulated naturally occurring ciguatoxins found in several algae species through their diet.
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea, and neurological signs within 24 hours of eating reef fish, such as numbness, tingling, unsteady movement or staggering walk, and temperature reversal.
The ministry urged the public to exercise caution when eating reef fish during this time. ■
