Racine-based S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. said Tuesday it has donated 54,000 units of insect repellent to help Hawaii respond to an outbreak of a mosquito-borne illness.
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In a declaration issued on Monday, the mayor said the state of emergency is needed to reduce mosquito populations, increased outreach and protecting people from mosquito bites.
The largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago has recorded almost 250 cases of dengue fever since the start of September, prompting officials to declare a localized state of emergency.
“A state of emergency for Hawaii County is authorized in order to prevent the continued spread of this outbreak and to eliminate the dengue fever virus from Hawaii Island”, Kenoi wrote.
This is the first outbreak of dengue fever in Hawaii since 2011. More than three months ago the state Department of Health confirmed the first cases of locally acquired dengue in the region and on Monday, Feb. 8, it confirmed that 227 Hawaii Island residents and 24 visitors had been infected.
Dengue is caused by any one of four related viruses transmitted by mosquitoes. In the past few days, two more cases have popped up which are the only potentially infectious individuals as of now.
Lyle Petersen, head of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, said “critical deficiencies” in the state Health Department should be “urgently addressed”.
Symptoms of dengue fever include “sudden onset of fever; severe headaches; eye, joint, and muscle pain; and rash”, The Hawaii Department Of Health says.
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As we have reported, “the World Health Organization has deemed the possible link between serious birth defects and the Zika virus as an worldwide health emergency”.
