Hawaii’s dengue episode is over

Associated Press

HONOLULU — A dengue fever outbreak that sickened 119 people in Hawaii is over, but residents must remain vigilant against the mosquito-borne illness, health officials said Friday.

State Health Director Bruce Anderson said it has been more than three months since the last case of dengue fever was confirmed. Mosquitoes that transmit the disease live for about two months.

"This is a time to celebrate, but it is not a time for complacency," Anderson said. "Dengue is common in many areas of the world. It could be reintroduced anytime."

The first locally transmitted cases of dengue fever began showing up in the Hana area of east Maui in September.

The dengue virus — which causes fever, headache and rashes on the palms and feet — was believed to have been imported to Hawaii by people traveling from Tahiti or American Samoa, where the disease is epidemic.

Before the latest outbreak, Hawaii had not had a locally transmitted case of dengue fever since World War II, when 1,500 people became ill, prompting the closure of Waikiki. Then, it was believed the virus was brought to Hawaii through U.S. servicemen who had traveled through the South Pacific.

"You didn’t have a choice, your home was fumigated," Anderson said. "It was a martial law situation. Even then it took years before that problem was finally brought under control."

The Health Department used up to 300 workers and exhausted $1.5 million on its latest effort to eradicate mosquitoes. Most of the funds were diverted from areas in the department. Hawaii also received $100,000 from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials said.

"I think $1.5 million was a relatively small amount to pay considering what we were able to accomplish with that money," Anderson said.

The final tally of the latest dengue outbreak was 89 cases on Maui, 26 on Oahu and four on Kauai.