Hawaii Investigates Dengue Fever Cases

Health officials in Hawaii are concerned about an outbreak of dengue fever after four cases were confirmed in Oahu.

Three members of the same family and their neighbor in Pearl City became infected with the disease, according to Hawaii News Now. Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions.

Officials said results on 12 other possible cases are still pending in Oahu. The state Department of Health issued an alert about the disease late last month, after the first two cases were confirmed.

The first person to be diagnosed was a Pearl City woman who was hospitalized with a high fever while visiting Wisconsin, the Honolulu Star Advertiser reported.

As of Thursday, health officials had received 20 reports of possible cases, eight of which turned out not to be dengue fever, according to The Associated Press.

"We want [residents] to be very aware that potentially we still don't know the scope of this outbreak," state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park told Hawaii News Now. "It's not a matter of how far can mosquitoes fly. It's actually a matter of how far infected folks may have gone."

Dengue fever cannot be passed directly from person to person. Symptoms vary but can include fever, severe headache, rash or pain behind the eyes. Some of those infected experience no symptoms.