HONOLULU — Hawaii state Sen. Russell Ruderman worries whenever there’s a mosquito buzzing in his home.
Until recently, he never gave the common pests much thought, but now his wife is six months pregnant and there’s a dengue fever outbreak on the Big Island.
The state Department of Health reports there were 101 confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne illness as of Wednesday.
Ruderman and other Big Island lawmakers say the department is downplaying the situation.
Department Director Dr. Ginny Pressler says the level of alarm is higher than necessary. She says officials are trying to raise awareness instead of fear.
