Florida is experiencing one of the largest outbreaks of dengue fever in recent decades, and it has already resulted in a death. The state Department of Health confirmed the fatal case on Friday, the Associated Press reports.
More than 130 dengue cases have been acquired locally in Florida, all in Hillsborough County. The area typically reports only a few such cases each year. According to the Tampa Bay Times, an elderly Tampa woman died on September 4.
“This is extremely unusual for us,” said county spokesperson Chris Wilkerson.
Dengue is caused by a virus transmitted by certain species of mosquitoes. According to experts, their range is expanding, partly as a result of climate change. The current outbreak in Florida is likely linked to weather conditions that have favored the breeding of disease-carrying mosquitoes.
For decades, most dengue cases in the United States involved people who had contracted the infection while traveling abroad. An exception was locally acquired transmission in Puerto Rico. In 2009–2010, Key West, Florida, recorded the first locally acquired dengue cases in the continental United States outside the Texas-Mexico border region since 1945.
The record number of locally acquired cases in Florida — nearly 200 — was reported in 2023. This year, there have already been 152 cases, the second-highest number on record, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Many infected people have no symptoms, so the official number of cases may underestimate the true number of infections. Others develop headaches, high fever, and flu-like symptoms. In severe cases, dengue can cause heavy bleeding, shock, and death.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 2.2 million dengue cases have been reported worldwide since the beginning of the year, with nearly 1,200 deaths. About 1,500 locally acquired cases have been identified in the United States, with most occurring in Puerto Rico.
The current outbreak in Florida is concentrated north of Tampa. Specialists are treating affected areas around the clock to eliminate mosquitoes and inspecting sites for standing water, including old automobile tires, where mosquitoes can breed.
Recent mosquito testing has not detected the virus, which experts say indicates a lower likelihood of new infections. However, the threat of dengue is likely to persist because disease-carrying mosquitoes are regularly present in Florida.
“I think this will become somewhat of a new normal,” said Michael von Fricken, an associate professor at the University of Florida.
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