Over 900 people in New Caledonia contract dengue fever

Tourists have been warned about travelling to New Caledonia after an outbreak of dengue fever.

Over 900 people are reported to have contracted the disease in the French Pacific territory this year.

CDNN reports that the health department has warned that one or two cases a day are still being discovered, despite an intensive prevention campaign launched earlier in the year.

The local authorities are concerned that the situation may turn into an epidemic when the warm humid season returns to the territory in September.

Anne Pfannstiel, head of public health programmes, told the news site that there was "an urgency to contain the existing situation".

The Australian newspaper recently reported that a politician from Queensland has warned of a future dengue outbreak.

Paul Gregory, chair of Cairns city council's water and waste committee, voiced his concerns that if water tanks are introduced to beat droughts, there could be an outbreak if the containers are not properly maintained.