Dengue fever case count reaches 117

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The number of confirmed cases of dengue fever on the Big Island rose by five to 117, the Department of Health said Tuesday.

The number of confirmed cases of dengue fever on the Big Island rose by five to 117, the Department of Health said Tuesday.

Of the confirmed cases, 103 are Big Island residents and 14 are visitors. Twenty-nine of the cases have been children younger than 18. The last onset of illness occurred Nov. 20.

A team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention arrived Monday on the Big Island to help state officials respond to the dengue fever outbreak. The team will evaluate how state and county leaders are handling the outbreak and will determine if additional steps need to be taken prevent its spread.

The team, which arrived on the island Monday, is expected to meet with county leaders Wednesday to discuss some of their findings.

As of Tuesday, 277 potential cases have been excluded based on test results and/or not meeting case criteria, officials said.

Just one imported dengue fever case has been confirmed on Oahu, and the case was determined not to be associated with the Hawaii Island outbreak.

To report a suspect case, call 322-4880 in West Hawaii and 974-6001 in East Hawaii. To report mosquito concerns, call Civil Defense at 935-3311.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.