HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0575.002 2014-2016SPECIAL. Mrs
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Murashige, Laura
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From:
Harry M. Pritikin R(BIC) <trustharry@aloha.net>
Sent:
Friday, November 27, 2015 8:34 AM
L r
To:
Council Testimony
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Cc:
_
Baez, Wendy; Eoff, Karen-,
Subject:
DENGUE FEVER TESTIMONY
Importance:
High
Aloha,
I wonder if those at the Health Department and the Governor's Office know how they are perceived
to not care about what happens on the Big Island? To us it seems like the State government on
Oahu perceives the Big Island as some kind of backwater; a place of no concern to them. Witness
how the coqui frog issue was ignored for ten years until it was too late to do anything about it.
Now I am reading in the paper that the State is not taking dengue fever seriously. If you knew.
someone who has had dengue fever you would take it very seriously. The daughter of an agent in
our office had it. This was in October; the state doesn't even acknowledge the first case until
September. She was mis-diagnosed at Kona Hospital. She came in twice and they sent her home
both times. They didn't recognize it as dengue fever because her gums weren't bleeding and her
temperature was only 101 instead of 104. This means, on top of having a rash on your entire body
with unbearable itching on the palms of your hands and feet, the most painful aching in your bones
that you've ever felt, it's more normal if your temperature is 104 and your gums are bleeding!! PLUS,
if you ever get it again, which is likely if it's permanent in the mosquito population, it could turn into
hemorrhagic fever, much like ebola, and you could die. Sounds serious to me!!
Then there's the economic impact. This is all over the news on the mainland. It's on Yahoo news on
the internet. Property management companies are already reporting a 10% cancellation rate.
Besides our agent's daughter, another agent in our office had a friend visit in October. He came
down with a "mysterious" disease and died within two weeks of returning to the mainland. He was
70. This was also in October before the outbreak made the news. They were going to perform an
autopsy to determine cause of death. I haven't heard the results. But if it turns out to be dengue
fever, and it make the news, then the impact on tourism and real estate will be even greater.
How many October cases have not been added to the total? How many people were running around
in Octnher snreadina this thina all over the island before anvone even know what it was?
If the State takes the same approach',with dengue fever as it did with the coqui frogs, we are all
doomed. I myself personally will leave the state. But how will anyone be able to sell their homes if
the Big Island is part of a "Travel Advisory"? If only 1% of those who get the disease die, why would
anyone want to move here? The impact on real estate will be devastating. Those who want to leave
will just have to abandon their homes because no one will want to buy them.
The director of the Health Department says "to go see your doctor right away." Right, and spread
the disease to the mosquitos around the doctor's office. The State needs to bring in doctors who will
-Comm Noi
Ref. To:k
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visit people at their homes so they can be quarantined. And the Health Department needs to spray
for mosquitos around those homes. People with the disease should not be allowed to leave their
homes until they are well. This is as serious as ebola. Maybe not as deadly, but when you have it
you wish you were dead. If Dengue Fever gets a foothold on the Big Island it's only a matter of time
until it spreads to the other islands. Does the Health Department have to wait until it's on Oahu to
act? Wouldn't it be better to act now and keep it from ever getting to Oahu? Don't throw the Big
Island into the garbage. Take control of this situation and eradicate dengue fever now before it's too
late!
Mahalo, Harry
Harry M. Pritikin R(BIC) Big Island Specialist
Big Island Real Estate UPdates
Broker In Charge at Koa Realty
76-5905 Mamalahoa Hwy., Holualoa, Hawaii 96725
Website: www.konarealestateagent.com
FAX: 808-334-1567
24 HOUR CELL: 808-989-3491
EMAIL: trustharry@aloha.net
5?1"IIUF�11111 IL 11
When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will truly know peace.
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