State of Emergency Declared in Hawaii over Dengue Fever

Dengue Fever and ZIKV share the same vector: mosquitoes of Aedes species

Hawaii County has declared a state of emergency amid the growing dengue fever outbreak in the state.

“A state of emergency for Hawaii County is authorized in order to prevent the continued spread of this outbreak and to eliminate the dengue fever virus from Hawaii Island,” said the mayor.

The state Health Department had confirmed 251 cases of dengue fever on Hawaii Island, including two potentially infectious individuals.

“The decision to issue an emergency proclamation is one made by professionals,” said Hawaii Gov. Ige. “There is a continuous conversation about it, as we proceed through an event and identify a course of action.”

Dengue Fever and Zika virus (ZIKV) share the same vector, mosquitoes of Aedes species (A. Aegypti & A. albopictus), and public health officials are concerned ZIKV could make its way to the Aloha State.

The same mosquitoes are also responsible for the spread chikungunya viruses.

Aedes aegypti mosquito

 

Aedes albopictus mosquito

Dengue Outbreak 2015 – 2016

Dengue Fever – Hawaii Island Outbreak

The Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) is investigating a cluster of locally-acquired cases of dengue fever on Hawaii Island (the Big Island). Dengue is not endemic to Hawaii. However, it is intermittently imported from endemic areas by infected travelers. This is the first cluster of locally-acquired dengue fever since the 2011 outbreak on Oahu.  The Big Island and the rest of Hawaii remain safe destinations for visitors and residents.

• As of February 8, some 227 of the confirmed cases are Hawaii Island residents and 24 are visitors.
• 206 cases have been adults; 45 have been children (<18 years of age). Onset of illness has ranged between 9/11/15 – 2/1/16.
• A total of 1,124 reported potential cases have been excluded based on test results and/or not meeting case criteria (!)