To Hawaii now, where the state department of health confirms there are now 23 cases of dengue fever statewide.
Fifteen are Big Island residents, the other eight are visitors to the island. Dengue is a virus transmitted from mosquito bites. Symptoms include headaches, fever, a rash and muscle pains.
Alex Cerball tagged along with a team spraying areas of mosquitoes in an effort to keep the disease from spreading.
--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--
WE FOLLOWED CREWS AS THEY SURVEYED THE HONAUNAU AREA LOOKING FOR STANDING WATER, AND AREAS WHERE MOSQUITOS CAN LIVE. THE TEAM ALSO USED PESTICIDES ON PLANTS IN AN EFFORT TO GET RID OF MOSQUITOS.
LINNEA FELDMAN LIVES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAS BEEN TAKING EXTRA PRECAUTIONS TO STAY PROTECTED.
(Linnea Feldman/ Resident) I sleep in a tent right now. A tent inside of my house just because it's not totally secure.
(Alex Cerball/ Honaunau, HI) The team was doing a survey of the area and they found this right here. You can see it's a large piece of plastic and we were told there's actually larvae in this water.
CREWS SPRAYED A MIX OF SOAP AND WATER TO THE AREAS. THEY TOLD ME IT PREVENTS MOSQUITOS FROM BREATHING.
(Alex Cerball/ Honaunau, HI) Is this enough? Do you think we may need to do more things besides spraying, besides educating the public?
(Steven Okoji/ State Vector Control Inspector) You know at this point with our confirmed cases, we are getting these confirmations it seems on a daily basis for, and we are hoping it goes down but at this point this is the protocol for treating it.
NEIGHBORS TELL ME THEY ARE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE TO KEEP DENGUE FEVER FROM SPREADING BY AVOIDING BEING BITTEN.
(Dominick Mandolfo/ Backpack Sprayer) The first thing to do was to get rid of as many mosquitos as possible and then to cover up myself and out a lot of mosquito repellent on.
IT'S NOT CLEAR WHERE THE OUTBREAK STARTED, BUT HOOKENA BEACH PARK WAS ALSO RECENTLY TREATED.
This is Hawaii's third outbreak of locally transmitted dengue in 14 years. Officials say they're still trying to identify where the disease originated. They added that those who have dengue fever on the island have recovered or are currently recovering.
The last reported outbreak in the 48 continental states came back in 2005 in south Texas, near the Mexican border.
Instructional Links
Web Encyclopedia: Kids Health: Dengue Fever
http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/bacterial_viral/dengue.html