Florida health officials issue alerts after ten locally acquired dengue cases
Hillsborough and Pinellas counties reported a total of ten locally transmitted dengue infections, prompting mosquito-borne illness alerts, while the CDC says the risk of widespread transmission remains low.
Florida health departments have issued alerts after confirming ten locally acquired cases of dengue, a mosquito-borne virus often called "breakbone fever" because of its severe muscle and joint pain. The cases were identified in Hillsborough County, which reported eight infections, and Pinellas County, which reported two, according to county officials.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that dengue is typically imported by travelers, but the presence of Aedes mosquitoes in the United States makes limited local spread possible. It added that the overall risk of a large outbreak in the state is low.
In 2026, Florida has recorded 149 dengue cases overall, with isolated local transmission also documented in Hawaii, Texas, Arizona and California. Symptoms usually appear within two weeks of a bite and last from two to seven days, including fever, rash, headache, nausea and vomiting. Most patients recover within a week, though about one in twenty may develop severe dengue, which can lead to shock, internal bleeding or death.
"Breakbone Fever," more commonly known as dengue, is spread by a bite of an Aedes mosquito and earns its nickname because of the painful aches it causes, the CDC said.