The Hawaii Department of Health has confirmed another case of travel-related dengue on Oahu, bringing the total in the state to 14 so far this year.
The latest case comes more than 10 weeks after the 13th reported case of dengue, which was also on Oahu. To date, the state has counted 13 cases on Oahu and one case on Maui.
“The affected individual in this current case was exposed to the virus while traveling in a region where dengue is common and is not connected to prior cases,” said DOH in a news release. “DOH teams have been deployed to conduct inspections and implement mosquito control measures in the affected area.”
Dengue is a viral illness that is spread through mosquito bites. While Hawaii is home to Aedes mosquitoes, which can carry dengue, the disease is not endemic in the state.
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, including the tropical and subtropical areas of Central and South America (including Brazil and Mexico), the Philippines, the Middle East, Africa and some Pacific Islands, such as American Samoa, Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified a higher-than-expected number of dengue cases among returning U.S. travelers from the Cook Islands, Cuba, El Salvador, French Polynesia, the Philippines, Samoa and Vietnam, among others.
Anyone who travels to an area with risk of dengue is at risk of infection, the CDC said, and travelers should take precautions when visiting such areas.
In the U.S., local transmission of dengue was reported in California, Texas and Florida last year. Florida reported local dengue transmission again this year.
If dengue symptoms — such as fever, nausea, vomiting, rash and body aches — develop within two weeks of return from dengue-affected areas, residents should seek medical evaluation.
Anyone who suspects a dengue infection should call the DOH Disease Reporting Line at 808-586-4586.
Source: The Garden Island