President and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority George D. Szigeti released a statement seeking to reassure travelers the Aloha State is safe amid growing concern over a rare disease.
He says reports about rat lungworm disease have been overstated in the media and it is extremely rare.
"Some national media attention has been devoted recently to rat lungworm disease in Hawaii, raising concerns among visitors and groups planning trips to the Hawaiian Islands. It is important that people not overreact and gather reliable information before making any assumptions. On the recommendation of the Hawaii State Department of Health, residents and visitors of Hawaii can be assured there is nothing to fear about getting infected as long as they use smart common sense when washing, preparing and storing food," Szigeti said.
"The key facts that everyone needs to remember about rat lungworm disease is that it is very rare, it is very uncommon for people to get infected. To the visitors already in the Hawaiian Islands or planning a trip here in the coming months, there is no need to be overly concerned."
Eleven people have been infected so far this year which includes two visitors.
Hawaii State Department of Health said there are four more cases ‘highly probable based on clinical indications.’
While this is deemed a minor number considering the population and the eight million-plus visitors who visit each year, it is still more than Hawaii normally gets for an entire year.
