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The Hawaii Department of Health has recently confirmed an outbreak of dengue fever on the Big Island.
Mayor of Hawaii County William Kenoi declared a state of emergency on Monday, which will be in effect for a period of at least 60 days.
So far, there have been about 250 confirmed cases of dengue fever in Hawaii since October 2015. In the past few days, two more cases have popped up which are the only potentially infectious individuals as of now.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dengue virus is a leading cause of illness and death in the tropics and subtropics, with as many as 400 million people infected yearly.
Dengue is caused by any one of four related viruses transmitted by mosquitoes.
Currently, there are no vaccines to prevent infection with dengue virus.
Dengue is not native to Hawaii, but has been imported from endemic areas by infected travelers.
This is the first cluster of locally-acquired dengue fever since the 2011 outbreak on Oahu.
Currently, there are no travel restrictions for Hawaii, and their department of health says it is still a safe place to travel.
If travelling to the area, they recommend using mosquito repellent, covering with long pants and long-sleeved shirts, using air conditioning instead of opening windows, and to stay indoors if mosquitos are present.
Children are not at a greater risk for dengue, but should be protected against mosquitos if they’re in the area.
The Department of Health is still investigating the areas in Hawaii where dengue poses the greatest threat.
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