KAILUA-KONA — Kona Community Hospital says it is being “overwhelmed” by phone calls from Big Islanders concerned about dengue fever.
KAILUA-KONA — Kona Community Hospital says it is being “overwhelmed” by phone calls from Big Islanders concerned about dengue fever.
The hospital’s emergency room on Tuesday fielded numerous inquiries from residents and visitors concerned about the look or occurrence of mosquito bites, and the possibility they might be infected with dengue fever, said Judy Donovan, the hospital’s spokeswoman.
“Right now, our ER has been overwhelmed by phone calls about dengue fever,” said Donovan, who noted the uptick in calls began Tuesday morning following news reports of dengue fever in Kona. “We would like to encourage people not to contact the hospital directly. If they believe they are affected, this is an outpatient referral to a PCP (Primary Care Provider).”
Eleven cases of dengue fever had been confirmed on the Big Island as of Tuesday afternoon, said Dr. Melissa Viray, the Department of Health’s deputy epidemiologist. She said there were no cases pending confirmation, however, that’s likely to change in the coming days. On Monday, there were 10 confirmed cases.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the numbers increase,” she said. “As we’re looking at more cases, I suspect we’re going to identify more.”
The confirmed cases were found in both East and West Hawaii, however, officials are mum on specific locations. An area of concern has been identified in South Kona, particularly in Hookena and Honaunau, she said. Officials are still trying to pinpoint how, where and when dengue fever got to the island.
“We don’t want people to have a false sense of security,” Viray said when asked about the reasoning behind not providing more definitive information. “We are continuing to look at the exposure pattern and we have not excluded any areas on the Big Island.”
Josh Green, an ER physician in Kohala and member of the state Senate, said Tuesday that one of the cases was found this weekend in Hawi. He expects the department will release additional information, including specifics on locations of the cases, in the next week.
“The public shouldn’t be scared, but it’s in several spots on the Big Island,” he said. “I’m telling people if they have a high fever to contact their health care provider, and then we can do a work up quickly. It’s just a simple blood test.”
Dengue fever is a viral illness spread through the bite of mosquitoes. The disease, which does not spread from person to person, occurs mainly in tropical Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. It is most common during the rainy season in areas infested with infected mosquitoes, according to the state DOH.
The World Health Organization estimates that 50 million to 100 million infections occur yearly and 22,000 deaths, mostly among children.
Symptoms of dengue fever usually start within six days, but can take up to 15 days to appear. They include sudden onset of fever, severe headache, eye, joint, and muscle pain, and a rash that typically appears on the hands, arms, legs and feet within four days of the onset of a fever. These symptoms usually go away within two weeks without medical treatment.
There is no specific treatment for dengue fever, according to the state. Simple bed rest and acetaminophen to treat fever and pain are recommended. Drugs that can cause bleeding problems, like ibuprofen and naproxen, are not advised.
“If people are worried they need to seek out their health care provider,” said Viray.
Though the Kona hospital received numerous calls Tuesday, Kona residents interviewed by West Hawaii Today did not seem to be too concerned about coming down with dengue fever despite nearly a dozen cases confirmed thus far. One person, who did not wish to be identified, was unaware of dengue fever.
“I’m not too worried,” said Akaiko Akana. “It hasn’t been raining too much and there are no mosquitoes (at my house). If there were a lot of mosquitoes, I’d be more concerned.”
Others are taking all the information in, and are being wary of becoming ill.
“I’m definitely a little concerned and I will try to stay away from areas and not go out at dawn or dusk,” said Dave Seipel. “I’d also like to know where they are.”
At West Hawaii Community Health Center, Medical Director Chris Russell, MS, PA-C, staff, at the request of the Department of Health, are reviewing case files with “suspect symptoms” dating back to September. They are also helping answer questions from people concerned about dengue fever.
“We’re getting some calls, questions like, ‘How am I at risk’ and ‘What do I need to do for prevention?’ People just want to be proactive,” Russell said. “We’re setup as a triage with a nurse that takes those calls and will process patients and get them in if they need to be seen.”
He urged anyone who is concerned about possible infection to contact the health center regardless of their ability to pay or insurance coverage.
“If they don’t have a doctor, we’re happy to take care of those people,” Russell said. “We see everybody, regardless of their ability to pay. If they have any questions about whether they have it or not, don’t hesitate to come in. Don’t let the money thing hold them back from getting care.
“Catching it soon and early is what’s going to stop this from spreading further and getting them (the cases) isolated.”