Health officials Hawaii's dengue fever outbreak has stirred widespread interest here and abroad, with about 1,000 calls daily to the Maui district health office and 200 a day to a health helpline on Oahu.
struggle to field
queries on dengue
The Maui office takes
about 1,000 calls a day
about the virusBy Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.comHealth officials are trying to respond to all questions but they are backlogged with so many calls, said Su Shin, Department of Health spokeswoman, asking people to be patient and understanding.
Both residents and tourists are calling, she said, asking basic questions such as what is dengue fever, how is it transmitted, what are the symptoms, do people die of it, what is the treatment, can pets get it and similar questions.
They're also asking what kind of repellents to use to control mosquitoes and whether they're safe to use around children.
Some people say they have a trip scheduled to Maui and ask if they should cancel it, Shin said.
Health officials have said tourists are at low risk to get the disease from an infected mosquito because they're usually in air-conditioned hotels and have limited exposure.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has confirmed 40 cases, with 39 cases on Maui and one on Kauai.
Symptoms are similar to flu and several other illnesses but with high fever and a rash.
Eliminating mosquito breeding sites is the only way to halt spread of the virus. All residents are urged to help combat the outbreak by eliminating potential mosquito breeding places from their property.
The city is seeking volunteers to help distribute information brochures about dengue fever to residents, starting at 8 a.m. tomorrow in their district parks. City staff will give instructions to the volunteers.
Residents who have questions about dengue fever can call these numbers: 586-8352 on Oahu; 933-0912 on the Big Island; 984-8200 on Maui, Molokai and Lanai; 241-3387 on Kauai.
For virus information, visit www.hawaii.gov/doh/dengue.
For tips on getting rid of mosquito breeding sites, see the city Web site at www.CleanWaterHonolulu.com.
CDC Dengue Fever page
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/dengue/index.htm