Hawaii state and tourism officials are saying a seven-month
dengue fever outbreak on the Big Island of Hawaii “has come to a halt.”
The announcement came after a 30-day period of no new cases being
reported on the Island.
“While this outbreak seems to be ending, our statewide
response to mosquito-borne diseases must continue,” Hawaii governor David Ige
said during an April 27 press conference. “We must remain vigilant in our
mosquito prevention and abatement practices, be ready to respond to the Zika
virus and continue working together as a state.”
The dengue outbreak began in September on the Big Island,
and since then 264 locally acquired cases have be reported there. Twenty-six of
the confirmed cases were Hawaii visitors.
No locally acquired cases of dengue fever were reported on
any other island in Hawaii.
“Hawaii is fortunate that locally acquired cases of dengue
never got beyond Hawaii Island,” said George Szigeti, the president and CEO of
the Hawaii Tourism Authority, in a statement. “Despite negative publicity
associated with the dengue outbreak, visitor arrivals statewide, including
those for Hawaii Island, are ahead of last year’s record-setting pace through
the first quarter.”