An outbreak of dengue fever has been confirmed in Hawaii, and precautions are being taken to curb the spread of the disease. On Dec. 1, Dr. Lyle Petersen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's division of vector-borne diseases, traveled to Hawaii to meet with local health officials, reported CNN.
In a statement on its website, the Hawaii Department of Health said it is "investigating a cluster of locally-acquired cases of dengue fever on Hawaii Island (the Big Island)."
There have been 117 cases of the mosquito-borne illness confirmed — 103 are local residents and 14 are visitors to the islands. The illness is transported by Aedes aegypto and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, both found in Hawaii, but no other incidents of infection have been recorded since 2011. The virus is not endemic to Hawaii, but can be brought by travelers, which is how this outbreak is believed to have started, reported CNN.
Though it can be successfully treated and only has a death rate of 1 percent, dengue fever has been described by those afflicted as giving them unbearable body aches, fever and a rash, said CNN. It can be treated with acetaminophen, and usually goes away within a week or two.
Dengue fever is not considered breaking news in many other parts of the world — there are more than 100 million cases reported annually, according to Time. It is usually found in tropical Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the South Pacific, said CNN.
