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Earlier today, the Hawaiʻi Department of Health announced it is monitoring a positive wastewater sample for the measles virus — the first such detection in Kauaʻi County. The sample was collected on September 24 at a site in East Kauaʻi County, and the DOH said it was notified of the result today. Officials did not report any confirmed clinical cases on Kauaʻi tied to the signal at the time of the announcement, but the finding has prompted heightened surveillance. What Wastewater Detection Means Wastewater surveillance looks for viral genetic material shed by infected people and is used as an early-warning tool rather than definitive proof of clinical illness. A positive sewage signal can indicate that at least one person with measles virus was shedding into the sewer system, but it cannot be traced to an individual or confirm community spread, as reported by Hawaii News Now. National Trend Measles cases have surged across the United States in 2025, increasing the chance that travel-related infections will reach the islands; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,596 confirmed cases in the U.S. as of October 14, 2025. That national uptick has public-health officials on alert because a single imported case can spread quickly in under-vaccinated pockets. Local Vaccination Picture Hawaiʻi's vaccination data show MMR coverage remains below the 95% threshold for herd immunity, leaving clusters of vulnerability. The state’s October 2 immunization report notes MMR coverage hovering near 90% for the 2024–25 school year and cites higher exemption rates in some counties — including Kauaʻi — that increase local risk, according to the Hawaiʻi Department of Health. How Residents Can Protect Themselves Public-health officials say the best protection is vaccination: two doses of MMR prevent the vast majority of measles infections and are strongly encouraged for anyone not up to date. If you develop fever, cough or rash, call your healthcare provider before visiting so staff can take precautions; the CDC offers guidance on symptoms, testing and when to seek care at CDC measles resources. What Officials Are Doing Next DOH said it will follow up the signal with additional wastewater sampling, work with Kauaʻi health officials and notify clinical labs and providers to be alert for suspected cases. The agency posted the update today; earlier this year the state also detected measles virus in a wastewater sample from West Hawaiʻi County, a development covered by local outlets as the department expanded measles testing in its wastewater program, as noted by Hawaii News Now and summarized in state reporting.
