Teams continue dengue battle
| • | Advertiser special: Dengue fever: Health crisis in the making |
By Eloise Aguiar
Windward OÎahu Writer
HAU'ULA — Charles Kipilii has been diligent about checking for standing water in his yard ever since the state's dengue fever outbreak began in September.
Kipilii, 79, said he had heeded the state's warning to eliminate places where water could collect and become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which spread the disease.
So he was surprised when members of a state Dengue Prevention Team found mosquito larva in his cat's water dish yesterday.
"I didn't expect (larva) to be right there," said Kipilii, adding that he changes the cat's water regularly.
To help careful residents be even more careful and to keep everyone from becoming complacent in the face of a dengue threat that has moderated somewhat — the number of cases is holding at 78 — the state Health Department is sending teams door to door in neighborhoods on O'ahu and Maui at least through the end of the year. Team members — there are 100 total, volunteers all — educate residents, inspect yards for possible hazards and give advice about mosquito control.
The teams, consisting of two to three members each, have visited 600 homes in Windward O'ahu, in Ka'a'awa, Punalu'u and Kahana. Yesterday, led by Gary Gill, health department deputy director of Environmental Health, four teams visited Hau'ula.
"The message we're trying to reinforce over and over is to get rid of the water every week," Gill told the team members before they spread out to canvass 250 homes between Kukuna and Hau'ula Homestead roads. Gill pointed out that mosquitoes stay within 100 yards of their breeding site — making the practice critical to reducing them around your home.
Other than the cat's dish, Kipilii's yard was free of standing water.
The 40-year Hau'ula resident said he is glad the government is taking an active part in preventing the spread of a nasty disease, which he was very concerned about contracting.
An elderly woman who was caring for a young child at a home nearby said she, too, was concerned and had been vigilant in emptying containers of water. Nevertheless, water was found in pipes in her front yard and in an overturned planter.
Several homes had numerous containers with standing water, including a hot tub, tires, bromeliads and buckets. Many of these were next to Hau'ula Elementary School. The team members had to leave the potential hazards because the residents weren't home. The team left messages urging disposal of the water.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at 234-5266 or eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.
