Virus alert in parts of Florida as dengue fever spreads in counties and number of reported cases in the state increases
- A rise in dengue cases has triggered a virus alert in parts of Florida
- The Florida Department of Health reported two cases of dengue fever in Broward County
- 10 locally acquired dengue cases reported across Florida so far this year
A rise in dengue fever cases has triggered a virus alert in parts of Florida following a rise in cases across the state.
Broward County, home to Fort Lauderdale, has joined Miami-Dade County in issuing an alert as the disease continues to spread.
The Florida Department of Health reported two cases of infection in the Broward County Arbovirus Surveillance Report, which covers dates between July 30 and August 5.
So far this year, 10 locally acquired dengue cases have been reported in Florida, with the majority occurring in Miami-Dade County in July.
“Ten cases were serotyped by PCR,” the Florida Department of Health wrote.
Broward County, home to Fort Lauderdale, has joined Miami-Dade County in issuing an alert as the disease continues to spread. Pictured: Fort Lauderdale beach in Florida (file image)
Although mosquitoes are generally known to spread the disease of malaria, they are also responsible for transmitting the lesser-known strain of dengue fever. Pictured: A yellow fever mosquito sucking blood
“In 2022, there were two locally acquired dengue cases,” the Broward County Department added.
The alert was also raised as a precaution after nearly 200 total cases were reported across Florida this year.
They were contracted by people known to have traveled to a dengue-endemic area in the two weeks before it spread in the state.
The department noted that 10 of those cases were reported in non-Florida residents, with one case even being classified as severe dengue.
Although mosquitoes are generally known to spread the disease of malaria, they are also responsible for transmitting the lesser-known strain of dengue fever.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): “Dengue viruses are transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. Nearly half of the world’s population, around 4 billion people, live in areas at risk of dengue fever.
“A dengue vaccine is approved for use in children ages 9 to 16 with previous laboratory-confirmed dengue virus infection and living in areas where dengue is endemic (common). Endemic areas include certain US territories and freely associated states,” he adds.
The CDC says there have been 225 reported dengue fever cases in the United States so far in 2023.
