Rare mosquito found at Honolulu airport prompts 'call to action'

[ellisonz]

Posted: Mar 20, 2012 7:57 PM PDT Updated: Mar 21, 2012 7:12 AM PDT

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A rare mosquito has been found on Oahu for the first time in more than 60 years. Now the state is reminding people to get rid of standing water on their property.

The disease-carrying Aedes aegypti species hasn't been found on the island since 1949. The vector control program recently identified the pest in traps at the Honolulu International Airport.

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The Aedes albopictus mosquito is common in Hawaii. The Aedes aegypti, which is more aggressive in spreading diseases, used to be found only in a few isolated spots on the Big Island. According to experts, the aegypti mosquito can rapidly spread dangerous diseases like dengue and yellow fever. Hawaii's health department has already received one reported case of imported dengue fever this year. In 2011, authorities investigated six imported cases.

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The state is asking health care providers to report any patients with a dengue-like illness.

Hawaii News Now Story - CBS/NBC

[villager]

1. of course, tropical disease vectors will continue to spread as the planet warms...

...but don't expect your public health officials to make that link too often....

[RC]

2. Time to start wearing their burkas for protection.

[ellisonz]

3. Pele forbid!

Oh the humidity...

[RC]

4. Yeah, I know.

It did get down to 52° at one time when I was there. Some of the locals were wearing winter coats with their shorts and flip-flops.
I saw one local, at the Honolulu airport, with a winter coat like one I normal wore in North Dakota. <-- Cold.