Florida records first dengue death of 2026 amid rising local cases

Florida's Department of Health confirmed the state's first dengue fever death of 2026 on Sept. 4. Gay Small, 80, of Hillsborough County succumbed to septic shock and multi-organ failure after being bitten by a mosquito near her home on Bayshore Boulevard. The Florida Department of Health said the investigation was complete but released no further details.

Small's daughter, Anna Small, told local media that her mother had been in good health and that the virus appeared suddenly after a mosquito bite. The family believes their mother may have been infected with dengue years earlier while traveling abroad, a factor that can increase the risk of severe disease.

University of South Florida public-health instructor Kristi Miley noted that a dengue death had not been recorded in the Tampa Bay area for nearly a century. Since July, the state has seen an unprecedented rise in locally acquired dengue cases, with Hillsborough County identified as the epicenter. Mosquito-control agencies in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties have issued alerts and intensified surveillance, inspections, and aerial and ground insecticide applications.

Pinellas County Mosquito Control Director Alissa Berro said dengue does not respect county boundaries and that infected individuals can introduce the virus to new areas where local mosquitoes then spread it. The Florida Mosquito Control Association urged residents to eliminate standing water and follow the “three Ds”: dress appropriately, use repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus, and dump standing water.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes dengue as a mosquito-borne viral illness that can cause fever, severe aches, nausea, rash and, in rare cases, life-threatening complications. While most infections are mild, severe dengue can develop quickly, requiring immediate medical attention.