The infectious disease appears to have been contained in the remote East Maui communities, according to public health educator, Mary Santa Maria. In addition to testing for the disease in the remote East Maui communities, four other adults were tested in Central Maui. The four tests came up negative, she said. An informational meeting has been called for tonight by the state Department of Health to alert the affected community and to answer questions residents may have about the disease. For more details, call the Maui District DOH office at 984-8200.
Dengue is an infectious tropical disease transmitted by mosquitoes.
Symptoms include headache, fever and a rash that's primarily seen on the palms of hands and the soles of feet. Up until Wednesday, there had been only 21 cases in the entire state, one of which was reported on Maui, according to state epidemiologist, Paul Effler. He said all of the cases were determined to be imported, meaning the patients were visitors who likely were infected before they came to the islands. Most of the cases surfaced in July and August this year. Wednesday's four confirmed cases involved residents of Nahiku and Hana, and reports of possible cases came into the Maui District office sometime in August, according to Dr. Lorrin Pang, Maui District health officer.