Asylum seekers on Nauru contract dengue as advocates call on Australia to take responsibility

Exclusive: Asylum seekers say accessing mosquito nets impossible' amid warnings virus compounds pre-existing health conditions

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At least nine asylum seekers on Nauru have contracted dengue fever amid an outbreak on the island, including one man who was medically evacuated to Australia for treatment and then returned this week, according to a legal aid group and an asylum seeker there.

Cases of dengue, also known as break-bone fever, rose sharply in July amid a broader outbreak of the virus in the Pacific. The infection is transmitted through mosquito bites, and those with symptoms can experience a high fever, body aches, headache and nausea. Severe cases may require hospitalisation, and in extreme cases lead to death.