Another confirmed case of travel-related dengue fever has been reported to the state health department, this time in Haleiwa.
The latest case was reported Thursday, just days after another travel-related case was reported Monday on Oahu, according to health officials, who did not disclose which part of the island that case was located.
But the Hawaii Department of Health is urging the public to take extra precautions this time to protect themselves from the mosquito-borne illness, due to high visitor traffic around Haleiwa Harbor.
Additionally, officials said that very dense populations of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes — a vector of the dengue virus — were found around the resident’s home and surrounding areas, and that these conditions could increase the risk of transmission.
Vector control teams have already treated the area, according to the Ministry of Health, and will continue to monitor it and take additional measures if necessary.
The Department of Health also urges the public, especially in Haleiwa, to take extra precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites with repellent or protective clothing and to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
Teams are going door to door to talk to residents and offer free inspections, said Matt Kurano, head of the Health Department’s vector control branch. Notices of confirmed dengue cases and recommended precautions will also be posted in the Haleiwa Marina area.
“We are really asking the public for their cooperation and kokua,” Kurano said during a press briefing this morning. “The least people can do while walking around after today’s heavy rain is that there will be a lot of standing water in buckets, in bromeliads and in boat covers. We need everyone to get out there and throw these things away. »
The dengue virus is transmitted from an infected person to a mosquito. Although Hawaii is home to the type of mosquitoes that can carry dengue, the disease is not established in the state.
Symptoms of dengue include sudden onset of fever, nausea, vomiting, rash and body aches, which usually last two to seven days. Although life-threatening illnesses can occur, most people recover after about a week.
The DOH said that since January 1, 2023, 10 travel-related cases have been reported in Hawaii. Of these 10 cases, five had traveled to Central or South America and five to Asia.
Visit this DOH website to learn more ways to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses.
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