Dengue Fever Outbreak Threatens Hawaii's Big Island

The Hawaii Department of Health confirmed four new cases of dengue fever on the Big Island on Friday, bringing the number of locally acquired cases to 23 since late last month. Dengue fever, a viral illness spread by mosquitoes, is not endemic to Hawaii, but the state does have the mosquito species capable of transmitting the disease, said Dr. Sarah Park, an epidemiologist with the state's health department.  The current outbreak is a "big concern" because of the potential for the disease to be established in the local mosquito population, which would increase the chances of an epidemic, Park told The Huffington Post.  "It’s likely an infected traveler infected the local mosquito population, which led to this cluster, so we want the public to be aware of this mosquito-borne disease and the steps they can take to prevent infection," she said in a statement last week. Symptoms of dengue fever typically begin within a week of being bitten by an infected mosquito and can include fever, rash, joint or muscle pains, headaches or pain behind the eyes, according to Hawaii's health department. Symptoms usually last between two and seven days, but are known to be pretty brutal. There is currently no vaccine or specific treatment for dengue fever, but early detection can keep the disease from being fatal. Hawaii's health department recommends bed rest and taking acetaminophen -- like Tylenol -- to treat fever and pain. (However, i...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news