HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed a sixth travel-related case of dengue virus in the state this year. The new case, reported on O’ahu, brings the island’s total to five, with one case previously reported on Maui.
According to the DOH, the individual contracted the virus while traveling in a region where dengue fever is prevalent. Officials have clarified that this case is unrelated to the dengue case reported just yesterday, April 10, 2025.
While Hawai’i has mosquitoes capable of carrying the dengue virus, the disease is not endemic in the state, meaning it’s not consistently present within the local mosquito population. All cases reported thus far in 2025 have been linked to travel.
DOH teams have been deployed to conduct inspections and implement mosquito control measures in the affected area.
Dengue virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, which acquires the virus by biting an infected person. The DOH urges the public to take preventative measures to avoid mosquito bites and eliminate potential breeding grounds.
Several regions worldwide are currently experiencing elevated dengue activity, including Central and South America, Asia (with a particular note on the Republic of the Philippines), the Middle East, Africa, and various Pacific Islands such as American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Popular Caribbean destinations like Puerto Rico are also facing outbreaks.
In 2024, Hawai’i reported 16 travel-related dengue cases. These cases were linked to travel to countries including Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, the Philippines, and India.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that travelers to dengue-prone areas take standard precautions, including using EPA-registered insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants outdoors, and sleeping in air-conditioned rooms or under insecticide-treated bed nets. Travelers are also advised to review up-to-date, country-specific travel information regarding dengue risk and prevention at least four to six weeks before their trip.
The DOH advises travelers returning from dengue-endemic areas to continue taking precautions against mosquito bites for three weeks after their return. If symptoms of dengue, such as fever, nausea, vomiting, rash, and body aches, develop within two weeks of returning, individuals should seek medical evaluation.
Symptoms of dengue typically last between two and seven days, and most people recover within a week.
The DOH’s Vector Control Branch (VCB) is actively conducting inspections and mosquito-reduction activities in areas with suspected or confirmed dengue cases. Eliminating mosquito breeding sites around homes and businesses is a crucial preventative measure.
Mosquitoes can breed in even small amounts of standing water found in buckets, water-catching plants, containers, planters, rain barrels, and cups. Residents are encouraged to regularly pour out standing water to significantly reduce the potential for mosquito breeding.
For more information on dengue fever and prevention measures, please visit the Disease Outbreak Control Division (DOCD) and Vector Control Branch (VCB) websites.
