For the past three weeks the Port Moresby General Hospital Emergency Department has seen a spike in a number of viral and acute febrile illnesses such as influenza like sicknesses, dengue, and high fever. Most of these patients admitted to the emergency ward present themselves with these sicknesses and viruses in which has seen over a hundred patients present themselves with similar symptoms and illnesses. According to Emergency Physician, Dr Mangu Kendino in an interview with PNG HAUSBUNG, some of these cases are caused by the recent change in weather whilst most are transmissible cases where one is likely to catch the virus from another due to close contact and lack of using preventive measures. “Acute febrile illness and other related complaints have contributed to three percent of the hospital’s Emergency Department presentations and that is generally between 150 to 200 plus patients.” With patients presenting symptoms of these viral illnesses, Kendino stated that they are then further tested and investigated to confirm cause of illness and with that, has seen a few have returned positive with dengue. In addition to this, Dr Kendino said that it would be advisable if some private health facilities could do further test for Influenza so that they can confirm and report cases to the disease surveillance arm of National Department of Health. She also stated that further examination along with gene-sequencing should be overseas to determine the specific viral strain. However, at the moment, these viral illnesses are to be treated for symptom relief. Meanwhile, Dr Kendino has urged everyone to take extra precaution and to take whatever means possible to avoid catching any viral illnesses. “If you do end up catching one of these viral illnesses, then do take fever-reducing medication, drink a lot of water, rest and also take multivitamin supplements if you can afford them.” Most of these patients who have presented themselves with symptoms of flu and dengue are both children and adults.