The mosquito species Aedes aegypti has the ability to quickly spreads dengue and yellow fever. The species has not been found on Oahu since 1949, according to the Hawaii Department of Health.
The department has seen just one reported case of dengue fever so far this year. That follows six cases in 2011. Health officials are alarmed by the mosquito’s reappearance and are urging residents to watch out for standing water.
“Just a few minutes work every week can help reduce pesky mosquitoes that may carry diseases.” Gary Gill, Deputy Director of Environmental Health said in a statement. ”Dengue fever could flare up anywhere in the state where Aedes mosquitoes are living.”

GET IN-DEPTH
REPORTING ON HAWAII’S BIGGEST ISSUES
What it means to support Civil Beat.
Supporting Civil Beat means you’re investing in a newsroom that can devote months to investigate corruption. It means we can cover vulnerable, overlooked communities because those stories matter. And, it means we serve you. And only you.
Donate today and help sustain the kind of journalism Hawaiʻi cannot afford to lose.