Florida declares state of emergency as dengue cases rise to near-record levels

Florida health authorities have declared a local state of emergency in response to a surge in dengue fever cases. The Florida Department of Health reported 190 locally acquired infections and one fatality across several counties, including Pinellas and Hillsborough. The tally represents the second-largest number of cases recorded in the state, surpassing the 62 cases reported the previous year.

"This is wildly unusual for us," Hillsborough County spokesperson Chris Wilkerson told ABC News.

Most patients had recently traveled to regions where dengue is endemic, such as the Caribbean, Central and South America, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. The outbreak follows a pattern of increasing dengue activity in the United States, with notable spikes in 2004 and a 2009 outbreak in Key West, Florida.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that past introductions of the virus have highlighted the need for stronger surveillance, vector control and public-health preparedness in areas where Aedes mosquitoes are present. Experts attribute the current situation to factors including proximity to dengue-endemic areas, heavy rainfall and warmer temperatures that accelerate mosquito breeding.

Aedes mosquitoes, which also transmit Zika and yellow fever, are widespread in the southeastern and southwestern United States. While many infections are asymptomatic, the disease can cause fever, rash, headache, nausea and severe joint pain.

Mosquito-control teams in the affected counties are conducting home inspections, trapping, monitoring and testing. Recent mosquito samples have tested negative for the virus, and laboratory results indicate that infected female mosquitoes are not passing dengue to their offspring, suggesting a possible decline in transmission risk.