The Hawaii Department of Health is urging greater vigilance after travel-related dengue cases grew by more than fourfold this year.
Health officials said in a news release today that a “sharp rise in dengue around the world and in Hawaii” has prompted an update to its testing criteria to better detect local transmission and respond rapidly.
So far this year, the state has confirmed seven travel-related dengue cases, putting the state on track to surpass the 16 reported for all of 2024. Six of the recent cases have been on Oahu and one on Maui.
“The increase in travel-related cases increases the risk of locally acquired infections possibly leading to an outbreak,” DOH officials said in the release.
In previous years, only about four cases were reported annually.
Symptoms include the sudden onset of fever, severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, muscle and joint pain, and rash, which typically last two to seven days. While severe illness can occur, most people recover within a week.
Don’t miss out on what’s happening!
Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It’s FREE!
The department is urging health care providers to test all persons with symptoms compatible with dengue for the disease, regardless of recent travel history.
Suspected cases of dengue should be reported immediately to the Disease Investigation Branch at 808-586-4586 with date of symptom onset, officials said. Specimens should also be sent to the DOH State Laboratories Division for testing.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, countries reporting increased dengue cases include Brazil, Colombia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Mexico, the Philippines, Tonga, and others.
Several of this year’s dengue cases came from exposure during travel to Pacific islands experiencing outbreaks, DOH said. Travelers should review country-specific travel information at least four to six weeks before traveling.
In Hawaii, there have only been three local dengue outbreaks, with local transmission of the dengue virus, in nearly 80 years.
The last local dengue outbreak was in 2015-2016, on Hawaii island, with 264 cases. There was also an outbreak on Oahu in 2011; and an outbreak on Maui, Oahu and Kauai from 2001-2002.
Dengue is transmitted from an infected person to a mosquito to another person. It is spread by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which is found on Hawaii island. The Aedes albopictus, or tiger mosquito, can also spread dengue, and is widespread throughout Hawaii, officials said.