Dangerous mosquito-borne virus spreads in one state as officials warn of rising cases

Florida mosquito-control agencies are stepping up surveillance, inspections and spraying, as officials expect the number of locally acquired dengue fever cases in Tampa Bay and across the state to rise in the coming weeks.

As of Sept. 1, the number of dengue fever cases originating in Florida this year had climbed to 33 in Tampa Bay and 41 statewide. Cases are predicted to increase, Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported.

Locally acquired cases mean people contracted the illness where they live rather than while traveling abroad.

DEADLY MOSQUITO-BORNE VIRUS CLAIMS FIRST LIFE IN MAJOR US CITY AS CASES SPREAD

The Florida Mosquito Control Association (FMCA) reported 30 confirmed cases in Hillsborough County, seven in Miami-Dade County, three in Pinellas County and one in Palm Beach County.

Hillsborough and Pinellas counties are under mosquito-borne illness alerts issued by the Florida Department of Health.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral illness that can cause fever, severe aches, nausea, rash and, in rare cases, life-threatening complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The virus is most prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, including Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific islands, Latin America and Africa. Though less common in the continental U.S., locally acquired cases have been recorded in Florida, California and Texas.

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Hawaii has recorded past outbreaks, and the virus is common in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

The CDC reported in May that 2024 was a record year for dengue in the U.S.

A total of 3,798 cases were reported from U.S. states and the District of Columbia, a 359% increase over the annual average for 2010 through 2023. About 97% of those cases were travel-associated, and roughly 3% were locally acquired.

Florida reported the most dengue cases among U.S. states and Washington, D.C., in 2024, with 1,044 cases, or more than a quarter of the total. Florida recorded 85 locally acquired cases across 10 counties that year, compared with 18 in California and two in Texas.

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“Dengue does not stop at county lines,” Pinellas County Mosquito Control Director Alissa Berro told Fox 13.

“The mosquitoes that transmit the virus generally stay within a relatively small area, but people travel throughout the Tampa Bay area every day. When someone infected with dengue enters a new area, a local mosquito can bite that person and later spread the virus to others. As cases rise across the region, so does the potential for additional local transmission.”

Stopping the spread

Mosquito-control crews in Florida are increasing aerial and ground treatments in areas showing dengue virus activity, while also inspecting private properties for potential mosquito breeding sites, according to local reports.

FMCA is urging residents to empty or cover standing water around their homes. The mosquito that spreads dengue is a container breeder, meaning it lays eggs in buckets, planters, plant saucers, tires, discarded toys and other objects that collect small amounts of water, experts say.

The FMCA also advises people to follow what it calls the “three Ds.”

• Dress in long sleeves, light colors and closed-toed shoes outdoors.
• Defend with a repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
• Dump standing water from containers around the home, and check yards regularly.

Many people infected with dengue have no symptoms, and most people who do become sick recover within a week or two, according to Mayo Clinic.

In some cases, however, the illness can progress to severe dengue, a potentially life-threatening condition.

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Warning signs can develop quickly, often within a day or two after the fever subsides. Those may include severe stomach pain, repeated vomiting, unusual bleeding or bruising, difficulty breathing, extreme tiredness and irritability, or restlessness. 

People experiencing warning signs of severe dengue should seek immediate medical care.