Dengue fever Hawaii 2015: outbreak can last for months as new cases are discovered

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The Hawaii Department of Health confirmed that there have already been 130 dengue fever cases on Hawaii's Big Island since September, CNN reported.

This figure is eight more than the figure that was reported on Wednesday. These new cases of dengue fever made Dr. Lyle Peterson, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's director of vector-borne diseases, conclude that the outbreak will continue for months.

It has been confirmed that 114 of the patients are locals of Hawaii while the other 16 patients are tourists. Also, Big Island is the only part of Hawaii experiencing this outbreak. No dengue-related illness or hospitalization from other parts have been reported.

The Big Island Video News said that it is the biggest dengue outbreak since Hawaii was announced as a state. It is also reported that the total number of dengue fever in Hawaii surpasses the Maui's 2001 outbreak, which infected over 1,600 people and lasted for 10 months.

Peterson is concerned about the fact that the number of affected people on Maui in two months was reached by the current Hawaii outbreak in only two months. However, the doctor made the distinction that in this outbreak, there is a higher number of people in the area.

He also emphasized that if the outbreak will really continue for months, it won't be due to system failure. Instead, it would be due to the fact that they do not have the necessary tools in order to put an end or minimize the outbreak as soon as possible. It is difficult to control mosquitoes, especially that both the two types of virus-carrying mosquitoes are found in the state and that they breed very fast.

According to the Huffington Post, the state and county officials are working together to prevent the infection from spreading further. They decided to temporarily close the beach resorts in the infected areas. This includes Hookena Beach, which is identified as a high-risk area.

Also, they sprayed insecticides in nearby schools to get rid of mosquitoes that transmit the dengue virus.

The officials also launched the "Fight the Bite" campaign. It educates people about the outbreak. It also encourages them to protect themselves against the virus on their own by getting rid of the stagnant water in their homes and using insect repellant. The CDC is also offering their help to the state through technical and laboratory assistance.