A Kauai resident who contracted Zika virus while traveling outside the U.S. became Hawaii’s second case of the mosquito-borne virus this year, health officials said Monday.
The person may still be infectious to mosquitoes and has been advised to stay indoors and protected from mosquitoes, the Department of Health said. The state declined to release any additional information to protect the individual’s privacy.
Health officials said a Vector Control team will visit the individual’s residence to survey the area for mosquitoes and determine if the area needs to be treated to reduce any mosquito breeding sites.
On March 3, the state announced the first’s case of the virus this year. The Oahu resident contracted Zika virus elsewhere in the Pacific. At the time of the announcement, the state said the person had recovered and was no longer infectious.
There have been no reports of Zika being transmitted within the state this year. Four cases of Zika were reported in Hawaii last year, and two in 2014.
This year’s second case of Zika comes as the state fights an outbreak of mosquito-borne dengue fever, with 262 cases confirmed on the Big Island.
“As Zika continues to spread in multiple regions across the world, we anticipate that we will experience an increase in imported cases and must take precautionary measures to reduce our risk for an outbreak in Hawaii,” said Health Director Dr. Virginia Pressler. “There are several simple steps that we can take as a community to accomplish this, such as getting rid of standing water around our homes to reduce mosquito breeding sites and using repellent or protective clothing to prevent mosquito bites. It is crucial that we keep these practices top-of-mind as we prepare for travel in and out of the state, especially to areas that may be affected by Zika and other mosquito-borne illnesses.”