5 more dengue cases confirmed on Big Isle

Five more confirmed cases of dengue fever have been reported on Hawaii island, the state Department of Health said Tuesday.

Of the 117 confirmed cases since an outbreak of the virus began in mid-September, 103 are Hawaii island residents and 14 are visitors; 88 of the cases involve adults, while 29 are under 18 years old.

Dengue fever is spread by infected mosquitoes, and officials are encouraging Big Island residents to take measures to prevent being bitten by possibly infected mosquitoes.

The Health Department reported negative test results in 277 potential cases of dengue fever.