Dengue Cases On The Rise In FL: Health Officials

Locally acquired cases of dengue are on the rise in Florida with 23 cases reported this year, all of them confirmed within the last few weeks, state health records show.

The first dengue case this year, reported in Hillsborough County, was recorded in the Florida Department of Health's Florida Arbovirus Surveillance report for July 19-25, data shows.

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This number jumped significantly within weeks, according to the most recent report, dated Aug. 9-15.

As of Aug. 15, there have been 15 locally contracted dengue cases confirmed in Hillsborough County, four in Miami-Dade, three in Pinellas and one in Palm Beach, totaling 23.

This is the first time locally acquired cases of the mosquito-borne illness have been reported in Pinellas in 15 years, according to People.

Dengue can present as a flu-like illness with the following symptoms, health officials said:

• severe muscle aches
• joint pain
• fever
• rash

There are no respiratory symptoms associated with dengue.

Symptoms usually appear within 15 days of being bitten by an infected mosquito, health officials said.

Dengue fever is not contagious but is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito.

• Health officials offer the following tips for preventing mosquito bites:
• Wear protective clothing, such as loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants.
• Apply insect repellents to exposed skin and clothing.
• Control mosquitoes inside and outside by repairing damaged screening on windows and doors, and draining standing water from garbage cans, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flowerpots, or any other containers.

Hillsborough, Miami-Dade and Pinellas counties have issued mosquito-borne illness alerts, while Alachua, Leon, Palm Beach and Pasco counties issued an advisory this summer.

One human case of West Nile Virus was reported in Alachua in July, while the disease was confirmed in sentinel chickens in Alachua, Leon, Pasco, Pinellas and Walton counties in recent weeks.