Mosquito-borne disease alert: Samoa is facing a dengue fever outbreak, and travel advice for Australians has been updated to stress simple protection—use insect repellent and wear protective clothing to avoid mosquito bites. Regional health context: New Zealand’s travel guidance reports thousands of confirmed dengue cases across Pacific islands since early 2026, with hundreds of hospitalisations and a small number of deaths—reminding travellers that symptoms can range from mild flu-like illness to severe complications. Local health research: A Cook Islands Māori PhD researcher at the University of Otago is exploring whether bathing in naturally warm lagoon waters could support heart health, aiming to blend medical outcomes with Pacific knowledge and community-led healing. Waste and health link: A Cook Islands commentary argues incineration is usually a poor fit for small island waste systems, warning that “burning” doesn’t solve the practical and environmental realities of limited scale. Lagoon protection: Aitutaki’s Lagoon Management Plan is moving through public consultation, with residents pushing for stronger enforcement and co-management built around ra’ui and updated island bylaws. Travel rules easing: The Cook Islands is loosening Covid travel requirements for travellers from New Zealand, shifting from PCR to supervised rapid antigen tests and removing MIQ for unvaccinated Cook Islanders and permanent residents.