Hawaii Untouched by West Nile Outbreak

The U.S. is in the middle of one of the worst outbreaks of the West Nile virus in history — but it hasn’t reached Hawaii.

The state has had zero cases this year, according to Janice Okubo, spokesperson for the Hawaii State Department of Health.

In fact, the Aloha State has never seen a locally transmitted case of the virus.

Okubo said that visitors to Hawaii occasionally arrive already infected with West Nile, but their cases are recorded in their home states.

Nationally, more than 1,100 people have been infected and more than 40 people have died.

— Anita Hofschneider

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Tonrulkens.