Influenza

A total of 4, 376 cases have been recorded in SANMA, SHEFA and TAFEA Provinces, with nine of the cases hospitalized.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed 49 per cent of the cases are from SANMA, 42 per cent from SHEFA Province and five per cent from TAFEA.

All hospitalized cases have underlying conditions and have recovered.

There was a high increase in the number of cases from June 13 to 19.

The MOH said testing conducted at Vila Central Hospital confirmed the illness as Influenza A, but more samples have been sent abroad to determine the sub-type.

A study published Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine examines the question: Why did one vaccine offer 35% less protection against the flu?

The less-effective vaccine failed to activate dendritic cells, which are key to the immune system's defense, the researchers discovered, and it failed to stimulate an early immune response.