Malaria is not a problem in Hawaii because the Anopheles mosquito is not found there. However, people who were infected overseas have been diagnosed with malaria after arriving in Hawaii.
The risk of malaria in the U.S. is very low, with most cases being in people who have traveled to areas where malaria spreads in parts of Asia, Africa, and Central and South America.
The Hawaii State Department of Health considers the risk of malaria in Hawaii to be low. The mosquito species needed to spread the disease are not found in Hawaii.
Tripler Army Medical Center said, it has confirmed a case of malaria here in the islands. The hospital said, the patient was recently admitted and released following treatment.
The patient developed malaria symptoms following travel outside of the United States. The health department has been notified.
According to the CDC, malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes and is not spread through person-to-person contact.
Symptoms include fever and chills and if left untreated, could cause severe complications and even death.
About 2,000 cases of malaria are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.
