Posted on: Wednesday, November 28, 2001

Kane'ohe case raises dengue total to 88

Advertiser Staff

The Department of Health yesterday reported one new case of dengue fever in Kane'ohe, bringing the statewide total to 88.

The Kane'ohe patient lives with a family where other members already had been identified with the mosquito-borne disease. As with many of the cases the department is now recording, the patient had the disease some time ago and tested positive only after health officials contacted the family.

Health officials remain cautiously optimistic that they have shut down the outbreak, which was first recorded in Hana on Maui in September.

The dengue virus is spread via the bite of Aedes mosquitoes; it cannot be spread between people. The DOH is continuing its campaign to encourage removal of standing water around homes, which is where mosquitoes breed.

There now are 64 cases of dengue fever on Maui, 19 on O'ahu and five on Kaua'i.