A sharp rise in dengue around the world and in Hawaiʻi has prompted the Hawaiʻi Department of Health to update dengue testing to strengthen the department’s detection and rapid response capabilities. So far in 2025, there have been seven confirmed dengue cases in the state, all travel-related, putting the state on track to surpass the 16 travel-related cases in 2024. In previous years, there were only about four cases annually. Several of this year’s dengue cases came from exposure during travel to other Pacific Islands currently experiencing outbreaks. The increase in travel-related cases increases the risk of locally acquired infections possibly leading to an outbreak. Dengue is transmitted from an infected person to a mosquito, and then to another person. Identifying cases as they appear and responding immediately with mosquito-control measures is critical in preventing the spread of dengue locally.
