Florida health officials issue mosquito-borne illness alerts as dengue cases rise
The Florida Department of Health placed alerts on Hillsborough and Pinellas counties after state health agencies reported a surge in locally acquired dengue fever cases.
Florida health authorities have issued mosquito-borne illness alerts for Hillsborough and Pinellas counties as dengue fever cases climb. State data show 41 confirmed infections across the state as of Sept. 1, including 30 in Hillsborough County, seven in Miami-Dade, three in Pinellas and one in Palm Beach, according to the Florida Mosquito Control Association.
The Florida Department of Health warned that the number of cases is expected to increase and urged residents to eliminate standing water, wear long sleeves and closed-toed shoes outdoors, and apply insect repellent containing DEET or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
"Dengue is a viral disease caused by four related viruses, with fever being a common symptom," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explained.
The CDC noted that 2024 has been the highest-recorded year for dengue infections in the United States, a disease more common in subtropical and tropical regions such as Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific, Latin America and Africa. Florida joins other U.S. jurisdictions, including Texas, Hawaii, California, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, where occasional cases have been documented.