Posted on: Wednesday, August 4, 2004

Dengue outbreak confirmed in Palau

Associated Press

HAGATNA, Guam — Guam health officials have advised residents returning from the Festival of Pacific Arts in Palau to be alert to symptoms of dengue fever, although Hawai'i officials said yesterday there's no sign of any outbreak here.

About 6,000 people from Hawai'i, 26 Pacific Rim countries and territories were in Palau to showcase their traditional art and culture at the festival, which began July 22 and ended Saturday. The 62 Hawai'i artists included hula halau and a Hawaiian-language theater troupe.

The U.S. territory's Department of Public Health and Social Services said a dengue fever outbreak was confirmed in Palau just as the festival ended in Koror.

Janice Okubo, a spokeswoman for the state Health Department, said health officials are monitoring the situation but "haven't seen any unusual activity."

"But we always encourage people to control their mosquitoes," she said. Dengue fever is spread by infected mosquitoes, and symptoms include fever, severe headaches and eye, joint and muscle pain, public health officials said.

Kate Thompson, Ann Fielding and four other friends were on a trip to Palau during the festival, although the group arrived home July 28 and had not heard anything about the outbreak. Fielding said if anyone in Hawai'i was exposed, the signs will be clear.

"I had dengue in 1975, when I was in Tahiti," she said. "When you have it, you know."

The possibility of exposure to dengue "is something to be aware about," Thompson added.

Dr. Robert Haddock, Guam's territorial epidemiologist, said Guam hasn't had a locally spread outbreak of dengue fever since 1944.

Advertiser staff writer Vicki Viotti contributed to this report.