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Hawaii reports 15th travel-related dengue case this year

The Hawaii Department of Health today confirmed another travel-related dengue case on Oahu, bringing the total number in the state to 15 so far.

The latest case comes about a month after the last travel-related case was reported Nov. 6 in a resident on Maui.

Department officials said in a news release today that teams have been deployed to the affected area, which it did not disclose, to conduct inspections and mosquito control.

The public, meanwhile, is urged to take additional precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites and stop mosquitoes from breeding.

Of the 15 travel-related dengue cases reported this year, 10 have been on Oahu, four on Maui and one on Kauai.

Dengue virus is spread from infected person to mosquito to person, according to the Health Department. While Hawaii is home to Aedes mosquitoes that can carry dengue, the disease is not established here.

The travelers, health officials said, were exposed in various countries where dengue is common.

Dengue is common in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. Multiple regions around the world are currently experiencing higher-than-normal dengue activity.

Symptoms of dengue include the sudden onset of fever, nausea, vomiting, rash and body aches, which typically last two to seven days. Most people will recover after about a week.

The Health Department advises residents returning from areas with a risk of dengue to take steps to prevent mosquito bites for three weeks. If symptoms develop within two weeks, they should seek medical evaluation.

Residents are also encouraged to eliminate mosquito breeding sites — by emptying out any vessels of standing water — in and around their homes.

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