Florida Confirms Dengue Death Amidst Record Outbreak
The state has recorded over 130 locally acquired cases this year, marking one of its most significant dengue surges in decades.
Florida health officials confirmed a death from dengue fever on Friday, as the state grapples with one of its most severe outbreaks of the disease in decades. The confirmation brings the total number of locally acquired dengue cases in Hillsborough County this year to over 130, a significant increase from the handful typically reported.
The deceased was identified as an elderly Tampa woman who passed away on September 4, according to the Tampa Bay Times. This marks the first confirmed death from dengue in the state related to the current outbreak.
Dengue is transmitted by a type of mosquito that thrives in warm weather and is expanding its geographic range, a phenomenon linked by experts to climate change. Recent weather conditions are believed to have facilitated the multiplication of the virus-carrying mosquitoes, contributing to the current surge.
Historically, most dengue cases in the continental U.S. were acquired by travelers returning from abroad or were localized to Puerto Rico. Key West, Florida, reported the first dengue cases acquired on the continental U.S. outside the Texas-Mexico border region since 1945 in 2009-2010. In 2023, Florida reported nearly 200 cases, its highest number to date. As of this year, Florida has recorded 152 locally acquired dengue cases, according to the Florida Department of Health, placing it second for case numbers in the state's history.
Many individuals infected with dengue do not exhibit symptoms, suggesting that reported case numbers may represent an undercount of actual infections. Symptoms can include headache, fever, and flu-like illness. In severe cases, dengue can lead to serious bleeding, shock, and death.
Globally, over 2.2 million dengue infections and nearly 1,200 deaths have been reported worldwide this year, according to the World Health Organization.
In the United States, nearly 1,500 locally acquired cases have been reported, with the majority in Puerto Rico, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Efforts to control the outbreak in the Tampa Bay area include spraying for mosquitoes both day and night and inspecting properties for standing water where mosquitoes can breed. While recent mosquito sampling has not detected the virus, indicating a potential decrease in new infections, experts suggest that dengue may become a recurring threat in Florida. The cycle of outbreaks often begins when an infected traveler introduces the virus, which is then spread by local mosquitoes. Given the persistent presence of these mosquito species in Florida, the threat of dengue is expected to continue.