Hawaii residents will be reminded over the next month to keep up their vigilance against dengue fever by wiping out breeding places for mosquitoes, which carry the disease. New TV ads stir
the dengue potThe announcements will remind
residents to keep up their effortsStar-Bulletin staff
The Hawaii Health Department has produced a new TV public service announcement that reminds people that the mosquitoes that spread dengue can breed in small amounts of water found in common yard objects.
The PSAs show bromeliads and cut bamboo and that some plants can hold enough water to breed 50 mosquitoes. It goes on to say that empty flower pots can breed 100 mosquitoes, an old tire can breed 500 mosquitoes, and an uncovered wheelbarrow could yield 10,000 mosquitoes.
Local television stations will air the spots at various times over the next month.
"We are pleased to report that mosquito control efforts to date seem to have helped dramatically reduce the numbers of dengue cases," State Health Director Bruce Anderson said in a release about the new TV spots. "This success is in large part due to the people of Hawaii and their immediate action to rid their homes and neighborhoods of mosquito breeding areas. It seems their hard work has paid off. But we cannot back off now."
As of Friday there have been 109 total confirmed dengue cases in the state since June 10, 2001, according to the state Department of Health. Cases peaked in September, with as many as 14 confirmed cases in a week's time, but have decreased to just a few cases this year.
Symptoms of dengue fever include sudden onset of fever, painful headaches, eye, joint, and muscle pain, and rash.
Dengue fever is a viral illness spread by certain types of mosquitoes. The disease occurs mainly in tropical Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. Until the recent cases, dengue fever had not been reported in Hawaii for decades.
More information can be found at www.hawaii.gov/doh/dengue.