There was one case of the viral illness notified for the district in the week ending December 30, which was the fifth case in Canterbury last year.
The Selwyn case was contracted overseas, as are all New Zealand cases.
But there is increasing potential for an outbreak of the mosquito-borne virus on New Zealand shores in a warming climate.
Dengue is passed on by infected mosquitoes of particular breeds. Mosquitoes become infected when they bite an infected person, and can then spread the virus to others.
Community and Public Health of Canterbury regularly conduct mosquito surveillance activities to prevent exotic mosquitoes gaining a foothold in the region.
Both Lyttelton Port and Christchurch International Airport are considered risk areas for incursion as they receive cargo and passengers from around the world daily.
Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Cheryl Brunton said lower case numbers in recent years were due to fewer people travelling overseas in the Covid pandemic.
In Canterbury, there were 23 cases of dengue notified in 2019, five cases in 2020, none in 2021 and five in 2022.
Dr Brunton said the mosquitoes that spread the virus were not commonly found in New Zealand.
“However, as our climate becomes warmer and wetter, it is possible that mosquito species that are competent to spread dengue could establish here.”
There is no specific treatment or widely available vaccine for dengue, so it is important to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes when visiting tropical and sub-tropical areas worldwide.
Outbreaks are common in the Pacific Islands.
The infection is usually mild but can be very serious in rare cases.
Symptoms can last from two to seven days and may include a sudden fever, intense headache, muscle and joint pain, feeling very tired, nausea/vomiting and skin rash.
