Amid Zika virus fears, Hawaii island declares state of emergency for dengue fever outbreak

The mayor of Hawaii County on Monday declared a state of emergency in response to Hawaii’s worst outbreak of dengue fever since the 1940s. Dengue fever, a virus transmitted through mosquitoes, comes as the state confronts concerns about the Zika virus, another mosquito-borne illness, after a baby was born infected with it last month.

Since September, there have been 250 reported cases of dengue fever in Hawaii, according to the Department of Health.