An Auckland schoolgirl's death in Tonga has been linked to the mosquito-borne disease dengue fever, which has broken out in the island nation.

Toafei Telefoni, 12, died from the disease at a Tongan hospital on January 24.

Local newspaper Matangi Tonga said she had been in the country visiting family members for the Christmas holidays when she fell ill.

Tonga has since declared a dengue fever outbreak. Last week, the confirmed number of cases had reached 19.

It is understood Toafei was farewelled at a funeral service in Otahuhu over the weekend.

Her death follows warnings to Kiwis travelling to the Pacific and particularly Samoa, where more than 2000 cases of dengue fever have been reported since October.

Several cases of dengue have also been reported in New Zealand in the past few months, including children.

Nationwide, up to 165 cases of dengue fever were notified in New Zealand last year. In 2016, 191 people caught the disease.

No one has died in New Zealand but Samoan authorities are continuing to release preventative messages to those in the country, after a number of deaths related to dengue in Samoa in the past few months.

Among the victims are former New Zealand man Fiaali'i Mariner who died just weeks he and his wife and their children arrived to start a new life in Samoa.

Dengue fever is spread by mosquitoes.

Symptoms include the sudden onset of fever for two to seven days, intense headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting and skin rash.