Category: Public Media

Posted on

Cook Islands reports first dengue death, amid increase in outbreak

Source: Radio New Zealand

Aedes aegypti mosquitos spreading the dengue virus between people, people in the Cook Islands, including tourists, have been warned to take precautions. Supplied/ US Centers for Disease Control

The Cook Islands has reported its first dengue-related death, amid a significant increase in cases, and reminders to tourists to stay safe.

The country’s health ministry said an elderly patient with underlying conditions had arrived to hospital late in the disease’s progression, and died on 2 February.

Authorities have now announced Operation Namu-26 to raise awareness and promote prevention.

Dengue is a virus passed between people by mosquitos, and Operation Namu-26 will include an increase in insecticide spraying work on the affected islands, as well as a nation-wide clean up to reduce places where water could pool and mosquitos could breed.

The Cook Islands declared a dengue outbreak in May 2025, and more than 500 cases have been recorded there since.

In New Zealand, 86 people had been reported to have contracted dengue, with 75 of those cases connected to travel to the Cook Islands.

A senior health protection officer told RNZ Pacific that New Zealand had also reported 40 suspected cases of dengue since May, in visitors returning from the Cook Islands.

There had been “a significant increase in dengue cases on Rarotonga at the end of December 2025, and again at the end of January 2026”, the Cook Islands health ministry said.

Cases had been found on the islands of Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Atiu, Mauke and Mangaia.

Tourist companies would be providing dengue prevention items to visitors, and spraying on their properties following the ministry’s guidelines, it said.

Anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms, headache, joint or muscle pain, or rash should “seek urgent medical attention immediately …so that timely care can be provided”.

New Zealand clinician and University of Auckland lecturer Dr Maryann Heather recently told RNZ that one in four people infected with dengue get sick.

Symptoms include headaches, pain behind the eyes, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, joint pain, skin rash, lethargy, tiredness, and high fever, and can be severe. The disease can be more dangerous for young children and elderly people.

“If you aren’t improving or concerned, you should seek medical attention, especially if you think you have dengue fever after returning from the islands,” Heather said.

“It’s crucial to educate and warn people travelling back to the islands so they are aware that dengue fever is present, especially since it is seasonal.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Two common phrases that don’t help when a child is in pain

Source: Radio New Zealand

It happens in slow motion. Your six-year-old daughter is sprinting across the playground at school drop-off time when her toe catches on uneven ground. She goes down hard.

The playground goes silent. She freezes and looks up, straight at you. In that split second, she scans your face for data. Should she be terrified?

I’ve been there. I’d like to tell you that my pain scientist brain kicks in immediately. But honestly, it’s usually my panicked parent brain that gets there first. My stomach drops and my instinct is to gasp or rush in to fix it.

Easing children back into movement after an injury teaches them our bodies are designed to heal.

Jayson Hinrichsen / Unsplash

This reaction is typical because we want to protect our kids. However, these moments are opportunities to teach children that their bodies are adaptable. Our reactions teach them whether pain is a disaster to be feared, or a feeling that’s safe to feel.

When adults are the volume knob

Children look to adults and even borrow our nervous system to gauge danger. They read our tone and posture as clues to determine how worried they should feel.

Research into everyday pain shows incidents such as bumps, cuts and scrapes happen frequently. For active toddlers in daycare, they occur about once every three hours. In these moments, adults often respond to the child’s distress, such as crying, rather than the actual severity of the injury.

When we panic, we turn the child’s pain volume knob up. When parents are highly distressed and protective about their child’s pain, it can make children more fearful. They may avoid activity or have more trouble with pain over time.

On the other hand, remaining calm helps children turn the volume down. We teach them that the alarm can be loud without the threat being catastrophic.

Two phrases that can backfire

It’s tempting to try to switch the alarm off immediately. However, two common phrases can shut down a child’s signal for help too quickly.

“You are OK”

It’s a common assumption that pain is only real when there is visible damage. Telling a child they’re fine when they’re clearly hurting can feel dishonest. It suggests their internal signals are wrong.

“Don’t cry”

Crying is a healthy signal for help. Asking a child to suppress it suggests the sensation is too scary to be acknowledged, cutting communication without resolving the underlying feeling of threat.

The internal scan versus the spoken message

A better approach is to separate what you do in your head from what you say out loud. Staying calm doesn’t mean ignoring genuine warning signs. The goal is calibrated concern, which is a middle ground between panic and dismissiveness.

Before saying anything, do a rapid risk scan. If they’re safe, responsive and breathing, you have confirmed it’s not an emergency. (Parents should still watch for red flags such as vomiting, confusion, unusual sleepiness, or pain that worsens rather than improves.)

If the injury is a minor scrape, you can shift to validation: “that looked sore”, “you got a fright”, or “I am here”. You are confirming verbally that they’re safe.

Age matters

Toddlers (2 to 5 years) rely on your facial expressions to know how to feel. Keep words simple and use physical comfort.

Primary school-aged kids (6 to 12 years) may want to be more involved in the solution, such as helping clean a scrape.

Teens can need a mix of validation and space. Ask what they need from you instead of doing everything for them.

From protection to movement

Once the tears settle, the recovery phase shapes the child’s relationship with movement. For years, the standard advice was RICER (rest, ice, compression, elevation, referral). Now, emerging evidence suggests that complete rest may delay healing.

Updated guidelines have shifted to the soft tissue injuries assessment maxim PEACE & LOVE.

PEACE applies immediately: protect, elevate, avoid anti-inflammatories, compress, educate. LOVE follows after a few days: load, optimism, vascularisation (promoting blood flow via cardio), exercise.

The big shift here is optimism and load. This approach teaches children their bodies are designed to heal and guides them back to gentle movement.

Three tiny experiments to try

1. Name it to tame it

Help your child turn a scary feeling into a piece of data. We found that even children without chronic pain have average pain ratings that fluctuate by up to 6 points out of 10 over six weeks. This volatility is typical. For tweens and older, you can ask, “What number is your pain right now on a scale from 0–10?”. This implicitly shows them that pain is changeable and usually drops quickly.

2. Calm, then choose

Your calm nervous system helps soothe theirs. Try getting down to their level and take three slow breaths together. Depending on their age, you can then offer a choice to regain control: “Do you want to sit with me a bit longer or try walking to the slide?”

3. Retell the story later

Research confirms children can change their concept of pain through stories. Later that night, try parent-child reminiscing, which is where you retell the story of the fall together.

Focus on personal strengths: “You were brave. You took deep breaths and then you got back up and played again”. This accurately reframes the memory from “I got hurt” to “I got hurt and I coped”.

Good enough is enough

If you overreacted to a recent mishap, be kind to yourself. Kids benefit from “good enough” patterns where their pain is taken seriously and their bodies are seen as capable.

So, let’s take a breath when bumps happen. Your child is looking at you. You have an opportunity to show them they’re safe and that their capable body knows how to heal.

Joshua Pate is a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of Technology Sydney.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

One dead in crash north of Auckland

Source: Radio New Zealand

(File photo) RNZ/ Marika Khabazi

A person has died at Dairy Flat, north of Auckland, after a motorbike crash.

Emergency services were called to Horseshoe Bush Road about 1:30am on Sunday, police said.

The bike was the only vehicle involved, and the rider died at the scene, they said.

The road was closed after the crash, but had since been reopened.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Wellington SH1 tunnel closures begin

Source: Radio New Zealand

(File photo) RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Wellington’s Terrace Tunnel will be closing for work overnight this week – from the night of Sunday 8 February through to the morning of Friday 13 February.

The Wellington Transport Alliance regularly closes a tunnel on State Highway 1 for routine maintenance.

First up is the Terrace Tunnel, then Mount Victoria Tunnel on the 16 February, and the Arras Tunnel on Buckle Street on 17 February.

In each case they will be closed from 9pm until 5am.

Work typically carried out during the closures includes cleaning, repairs, replacing lights, clearing drains, keeping emergency systems up to date, maintenance for fire detection and fire suppression systems, and maintenance for ventilation and air quality monitoring systems.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Southern hospital IT outage caused by third-party hardware failure, Health NZ says

Source: Radio New Zealand

Dunedin Hospital was one of the hospitals affected. RNZ / Nate McKinnon

A big hospital IT crash in the South Island in mid-January was caused by a third-party hardware failure, Health New Zealand says.

It had earlier said a similar outage later the same month in Auckland and Northland was due to a technical failure at a commercial data centre.

Health NZ’s (HNZ) 10-year digital upgrade plan depends on external data centres doing better than it can

The southern outage on 13 January took out systems doctors and nurses need, forcing them to use paper for 36 hours at hospitals in Dunedin, Invercargill, Lakes and some rural areas. Systems were progressively restored through that period.

It impacted “a range of clinical systems in Te Waipounamu”, HNZ acting chief IT officer Darren Douglass told RNZ.

The outage ran from 3.21am on 13 January until 3.30pm the next day.

“We are working with the vendor and internally reviewing opportunities to speed up the response and restoration,” he said.

A review was underway.

“All major incidents are subject to post incident reviews, which focus on root causes and corrective actions, and commence immediately following an incident once immediate response and restoration activities have been completed.”

It was not clear if that included debriefing staff to check what the impacts on them and patients were.

HNZ was quick to downplay the impact of the four IT outages last month on patients, but unions said their members reported stress and chaos on themselves.

“We take safeguarding the integrity of public information and data very seriously,” Douglass said.

HNZ earlier said all four outages in January were due to technical issues, and three were due to “third-party vendor issues”.

The agency has been turning to external vendors, which include big cloud-computing operators, more and more.

Key IT projects it has promised will cut wait times and boost care for patients have anchor contracts with US Big Tech companies.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Winter Olympics: Ben Barclay and Luca Harrington qualify for men’s freeski slopestyle final

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand’s Luca Harrington competes in the men’s freeski slopestyle qualification run 1 at Milano Cortina 2026 Livigno Snow Park. KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

Two New Zealanders have advanced in freeski slopestyle, qualifying to keep their Winter Olympic dreams alive at Milano Cortina 2026.

Ben Barclay – who served as New Zealand’s flagbearer alongside Zoi Sadowski-Synnott at the opening ceremony – finished seventh. And defending X Games gold medalist Luca Harrington placed ninth in Italy overnight.

The top qualifier was double world champion Birk Ruud from Norway.

Defending Olympic champion Alex Hall of the United States had a bit more of an uncomfortable time to secure 8th place.

Kiwi teenager Lucas Ball finished 20th, missing out on a place in the final.

In slopestyle, athletes navigate a course with a variety of obstacles and are judged on the breadth, originality and quality of their stunts.

Barclay, who was born in Auckland and is now based in Wanaka, sounded relieved after securing his spot in next week’s final.

“Qualifying is always a lot scarier,” Barclay said. “To get through the first phase is a weight off my shoulders. It’s kind of a surreal feeling to look down at the course and say, ‘I guess we’re doing this now.'”

Norway’s Ruud, the first men’s rider of the day, executed a flawless performance and finished at the top of the pack on Saturday.

“I was just all-in on the first one,” the 25-year-old said. “I was focused as if it was my only chance. It felt awesome.”

In the women’s freeski slopestyle qualifying, New Zealand’s Ruby Star Andrews placed 17th and Sylvia Trotter 20th, both missing out on a spot in the final.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Winter Olympics live updates: Kiwis Lyon Farrell, Rocco Jamieson, Dane Menzie in Big Air snowboard final

Source: Radio New Zealand

Dane Menzies soards in the Winter Olympics Big Air snowbaord final. KUNIHIKO MIURA/AFP

First-time Winter Olympian Dane Menzies has slipped off the podium late to finish sixth in the men’s snowboard Big Air final at Milano Cortina 2026.

One of three Kiwis in the 12-man final, Menzies, 20, sat third after the opening two runs, one of the few with consistent performances across both attempts.

The door was still wide open for those behind him to improve their standings and he was surpassed by NZ-born American Ollie Martin. Italian favourite Ian Matteoli and eventual winner Kira Kimura from Japan.

Needing a big jump to retain his medal hopes, Menzies could not control his landing, faceplanting hard into the hard snow.

“Super stoked, but pretty bummed at the same time, just to not land that last one,” he told Sky Sport. “Only up from here, so I’m happy.

“It was awesome. Definitely, everyone was pretty locked in, but it was nice to have [teammates] there to chill.

“So far, super special and realising this is a big deal. Definitely hungry for more and looking forward to the next.”

Kimura had the best jump of the opening round, but crashed on landing on his second. He responded magnificently with his third, recording the best score of the night and finishing with the two best for a comprehensive victory.

Teammate Ryoma Kimata finished second, while defending champion Yiming Su of China took the bronze medal.

American-born Kiwi Lyon Farrell was the best of the NZ contingent through the opening round, but could not replicate that performance across the second and third, finishing eighth, while Rocco Jamieson was one place back.

All three will return to competition on Tuesday (NZT) for slopestyle qualifying.

Follow the live action here:

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Historic Manawatū bridge is no more, after decaying cables removed

Source: Radio New Zealand

Work to remove the cables finished on Thursday. Supplied/Horizons Regional Council

Decaying suspension cables have been removed from an historic Manawatū bridge, after one fell into the river below, leaving just two concrete towers standing as reminders of the past.

One of the cables spanning the former Ōpiki toll bridge next to State Highway 56, south of Palmerston North, came down in high winds on New Year’s Eve.

The cable failure was the second in less than two years.

This week, Horizons Regional Council, which now owns the bridge, announced both the bridge’s cables, which were in poor condition, would come down, clearing the path for Manawatū River users and avoiding a costly repair bill.

The removal work finished on Thursday, leaving only the bridge’s concrete pylons remaining.

Horizons central region engineer Paul Arcus said, given the bridge’s importance to the local community and historical value, great care was taken with the removal.

The former toll bridge is no longer connected over the Manawatū River. Supplied/Horizons Regional Council

The tension was removed from the cables, before they were cut at each end and then pulled out using heavy machinery.

“We had to create bespoke clamps to hold on to them,” Arcus said. “They’re definitely constructed in a way that wouldn’t be done these days, so we had to get new things created, so we could hold on to them.”

For now, they’d sit in a paddock next to the bridge site, while their future was decided, Arcus said.

Bits of it would likely be given to community groups or other parties that had expressed an interest.

The removal work cost about $70,000, while repair options could have hit about $130,000, without factoring in extra bills, such as for consenting.

“It’s a little bit out of the council’s wheelhouse of what we do as a core activity and we don’t have funding directly related to historic structures.

“I think the council themselves have decided that this is the sensible solution,” Arcus said.

The bridge was built by the Akers family for their flax business in 1918 and the cabling is said to have been secondhand then – sourced from Waihi’s gold mines.

The flax industry collapsed shortly after, but the bridge remained open as a private toll route, until the current state highway bridge opened in 1969.

The suspension bridge’s decking was removed then, but it’s remained as a landmark for commuters for more than 50 years since – albeit one that now looks different.

This week, Clive Akers, who still lives near the bridge, said he was relaxed about the cabling’s removal.

Historic Places Trust Manawatū Horowhenua chairwoman Cindy Lilburn said the trust was saddened to see the cables go from such an iconic structure.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Famous surfer dog Bosco makes a splash at Waitangi

Source: Radio New Zealand

The man behind surfer dog Bosco, Dylan Bacher, and his “equally spirited” companion Treasure. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Bosco the French bulldog, known for ripping it up on his surfboard, returned to the moana in Paihia this Waitangi Day, flying the He Whakaputanga flag before the annual waka celebrations.

Now five years old, Bosco the French bulldog was joined by younger companion Treasure, an 18-month-old French bulldog, who is also learning to ride the waves.

Owner Dylan Bacher said being part of the day was about showing up and supporting the kaupapa.

“Mainly for the youth, mainly just keeping it simple and actually being a part of everything,” he told RNZ. “Seeing the culture and supporting it – keeping that culture real.”

Bosco and Treasure paddled out, as crowds lined the shoreline and kaihoe prepared to launch, with treaty grounds officials telling RNZ about 35,000 people that descended on Waitangi on Friday.

Bacher said the atmosphere on the water was something special.

“Going through with Bosco was amazing, like it always is, and hearing everyone’s supportiveness,” he said.

“Watching the waka come out, that’s just something special to be a part of and actually see from out on the water.”

After coming ashore, the dogs were met with cheers from tamariki and whānau.

“It’s unbelievable how much love these two dogs get,” Bacher said. “The kids especially, we could hear them from the shoreline calling out to us.”

Surfer dogs Bosco and Treasure, and owner Dylan are famous on social media, with more than 930k likes and counting on TikTok. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

The whānau, known as the ‘Pirate Crew’ or ‘Bosco’s Pirate Life’ on social media, have more than 52,000 followers on TikTok and more than 93,000 likes. Some of their most popular videos of Bosco riding the waves have reached millions of views.

Online, some have jokingly referred to Bosco as ‘Ngāti Kuri’ – a playful nod to the Māori word for dog, and Far North iwi Ngāti Kurī.

“He’s in there supporting everything and little Treasure too,” Bacher said. “She’s learning by watching Bosco and just hopping on the board herself.”

Bacher said he pays close attention to the dogs’ behaviour and only takes them out on the surfboard when they are comfortable.

“You can’t make them do that,” he said. “Bosco just hops on the board himself and now Treasure does too.”

Dylan Bacher said he loves bringing joy to peoples faces – especially rangatahi. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

He said the message behind their presence at Waitangi remained the same as in previous years.

“Keep it real, keep supporting each other,” he said. “Waitangi Day is a beautiful day, when everyone is supportive of each other.”

Bacher said coming together under values of aroha (love) and kotahitanga (unity) was especially important for rangatahi.

“The world’s a hard place at the moment and we’ve got to keep making it better for the youth,” he said. “We need to learn to be together, look after the world and respect what we’ve got.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Winter Olympics live updates: Kiwis Lyon Farrell, Rocco Jamieson, Dane Menzie in Big Air snowboad final

Source: Radio New Zealand

[lIveblog] https://rnz.liveblog.pro/lb-rnz/blogs/6986ba0c70efc265ee8d3bfb/index.html

New Zealand will have three athletes in the men’s Big Air snowboard final, as it chases its first medals at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy this morning.

Lyon Farrell, Rocco Jamieson and Dane Menzie all qualified inside the top 12 on Thursday (NZT), with Farrell the highest-placed in seventh. He edged teammate Jamieson (eighth), with Menzies sneaking through as the 11th qualifier.

Japanese Hiroto Ogiwara was top qualifier, followed by Italian Ian Matteoli and Japan’s Kira Kimura.

Join us at 7.30am Saturday for our live coverage.

Lyon Farrell qualifies seventh for the Winter Olympics big air snowboard final. AFP

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand