Hawaii dengue cases reached 11 in 2026 after the state Department of Health identified a new travel-related infection on Oahu. The department said the affected person was exposed to the virus while traveling in a region where dengue is common. No connection to any previous cases in Hawaii has been found.
The department announced the case on Nov. 4. Health department teams have been deployed to conduct inspections and put mosquito control measures in place in the affected area. The department said more information about mosquito control is available on its Vector Control Branch website.
Dengue is not endemic in Hawaii, and the department said cases are currently limited to travelers. Hawaii is home to the type of mosquitoes that can carry dengue, but the disease has only been seen in travelers so far this year.
Hawaii dengue cases stay travel related
Hawaii dengue cases this year have all involved travel outside the state. Of the 11 cases reported in Hawaii in 2026, 10 have involved travel to Pacific-island countries and territories, while one involved travel to another dengue-endemic area outside of the Pacific.
The count has risen through the autumn. The department reported the eighth case on Oct. 9 and the ninth on Oct. 13, with both cases also on Oahu and also linked to travel in a region where dengue is common. The latest case brings the total to 11, with no link found between the new infection and any earlier case.
The Hawaii dengue total for 2026 now stands at 11, and each case has been travel related. The department has reported the cases one by one through the autumn, with the eighth on Oct. 9, the ninth on Oct. 13 and the 11th on Nov. 4. The Hawaii dengue count for the year is still small, and the department has said the disease is not endemic in the state.
The department has said in each of its recent releases that no connection to previous cases has been found. That pattern points to separate travel exposures rather than spread within Hawaii, and the department has kept its response focused on the area around each new case.
Hawaii dengue prevention for travelers
Hawaii dengue prevention starts with avoiding mosquito bites after travel. In its alert, the department called for travelers returning from dengue-endemic areas to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites for three weeks.
Travelers who plan to visit an area with dengue are also at risk of infection, and the department has urged them to protect themselves from bites while they are away. Anyone who develops symptoms after travel is advised to seek medical attention and to contact the department’s Disease Outbreak Control Division at 808-586-4586.
The department’s Vector Control Branch carries out inspections and mosquito control in the areas where cases are found. Teams have been deployed in the affected area on Oahu, and the department has said more information about mosquito control is available on the Vector Control Branch website.
Hawaii dengue in the wider picture
Hawaii dengue numbers remain small next to the national picture. In 2024, there were 1,984 dengue cases in the United States, according to CDC data. The Hawaii cases this year are all travel related, and the department has said the disease is not endemic in the state.
Hawaii dengue cases are tracked by the department as they are confirmed, and each release gives the island where the case was found. The latest case was found on Oahu, as were the eighth and ninth cases. The department has not reported a locally acquired case in 2026.
The department has reported each new case as it is confirmed, and the count has moved from eight in early October to 11 in early November. The latest release repeats the department’s standing advice for travelers and the steps its teams take when a case is found.
The department continues to watch for new travel-related cases, and its teams remain deployed in the affected area on Oahu. Residents can find mosquito control guidance on the Vector Control Branch website, and the department’s Disease Reporting Line is available at 808-586-4586.