HONOLULU (KHON2) — On Tuesday, Aug. 26, the Hawai’i Department of Health was notified of a positive test for measles in a routine wastewater sample test on the Big Island.
This is the first time the wastewater sampling process has detected Measles, a highly contagious and potentially deadly virus.
The process of testing wastewater for pathogens of different viruses has been in play since the COVID Pandemic, and has been used in Hawai’i since 2023.
“The process provides that early warning system for the infectious diseases in the community,” said Jessica Freely, DOH wastewater epidemiologist. “It gives us the ability to be on alert for any possible measles cases.”
Health officials say a positive sample for measles is rare, and now have doctors and the DOH on alert and on guard.
“Now that we detected a positive measles wastewater sample, we’re looking in that area for any potential measles-like cases that anyone has come in with,” said Freely. “Such as the cough, the runny nose, a rash.”
“Measles is unique amongst infections because it’s the most contagious infection that we actually know about,” said Dr. Philip Verhoef, ICU Physician, and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine. “When one person has measles, they can spread it to up to 18 other people.”
While the news of the potentially deadly virus is no doubt concerning, officials reassure that vaccination procedures should prevent the majority of people from getting it, and are still an option for anyone who hasn’t yet.
“Most of us have got our measles vaccine. It’s a requirement in order to go to school,” said Dr. Verhoef. “But if you’re not sure, please talk to your doctor or just go ahead and get one. It’s harmless for you to get an additional measles vaccine if you haven’t had it before, or if you don’t know.”
The benefits of the measles vaccine go beyond just the wall of protection for yourself, but it could also help prevent an outbreak among all people.
“Not only does it keep you from getting the measles, if you did happen to get it, you get a really mild case, and would be much less likely to spread it to anyone,” said Dr. Verhoef.
While at this time the DOH reports no known active cases of measles amongst the islands, the risk for an outbreak for the unvaccinated still remains.
“One thing that we’ve been worried about is that on the neighbor islands (outside of O’ahu), the vaccination rates are lower,” said Dr. Verhoef. “It’s heartbreaking for us in medicine to take care of people that we know whose lives might have been saved had they simply gotten those shots.”