Health officials have confirmed a case of dengue fever in Hawaii, this time imported by a resident who contracted it while traveling abroad. 
Maui News reports that the individual is no longer infectious but the Hawaii Department of Health is calling for mosquito control to prevent the viral illness.
The department sent about 80 letters to the individual’s Maui Lani neighborhood about two weeks ago to alert residents about a possible mosquito-borne illness and remind them to remove any standing water on their properties.
Whenever a case is reported, the health department “conducts a mosquito inspection with door-to-door information provided in potentially affected neighborhoods,” said Department of Health Spokeswoman Janice Okubo.
Last year, Hawaii had 13 reported cases of imported or travel-related dengue fever.
“Our major concern is if a locally-transmitted case is reported,” said Okubo. “This means the ill person did not travel and became ill from a mosquito in Hawaii. There are no reported cases of locally-transmitted dengue fever in Hawaii.”
Dengue fever symptoms include fever, headaches, joint and muscle pain and can start up to a week after being bitten by infected mosquitos.
Sign up for our FREE morning newsletter and face each day more informed.
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.
About the Author
-
Eleni Avendaño, who covers public health issues, is a corps member with Report for America , a national nonprofit organization that places journalists in local newsrooms. Her health care coverage is also supported by the McInerny Foundation, the Atherton Family Foundation , the George Mason Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation , and Papa Ola Lokahi . You can reach her by email at egill@civilbeat.org or follow her on Twitter at @lorineleni.