Locally acquired dengue fever continues to spread in Hillsborough County, according to the latest weekly update from the Florida Department of Health.
There were 39 additional cases of the mosquito-spread disease reported in Hillsborough from Sept. 6-12, according to most recent data made available Thursday.
Since July, 134 cases were reported in the county – nearly 90% of the 152 cases statewide. Undercounts are likely, officials said.
In response to the ongoing spread, Hillsborough mosquito control has been stepping up aerial and ground treatments, including a low-flying helicopter spraying operation planned for Friday night over the lower peninsula of South Tampa. Crews will be using the insecticide Dibrom, which targets adult mosquitos, at 0.66 ounces per acre
Hillsborough also has enlisted help from neighboring counties as it expands mosquito-control efforts. Pasco County’s Mosquito Control District has been providing specialized aerial assistance, using a helicopter to apply a larvicide.
Hillsborough said the assistance is part of an agreement with Pasco and Manatee counties to supplement mosquito-control operations.
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Earlier this month, state Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said Hillsborough was the “epicenter” of an "unusual increase" in locally acquired dengue cases this summer.
Pinellas County added two cases since the previous reporting period and has seven since July. Four other counties have reported dengue this year, but none added to their totals.
A week ago, health officials confirmed there was an investigation into whether dengue was responsible for the death of an 80-year-old Tampa woman. The has been no update, as of Thursday afternoon.
Dengue rarely results in death in the U.S., where it typically is found in people infected while visiting areas of the world with higher risk, such as South American and Caribbean countries.
Outbreaks occur in Florida because Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, the types of mosquitoes that spread dengue, are commonly found in the state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The state’s weekly report also listed 26 additional cases of international travel-associated dengue, 186 for the year. These have been reported in individuals who travel to a dengue-endemic area in the two weeks prior to onset.
Dengue has flu-like symptoms, including severe muscle aches, joint pain, fever and occasionally rashes.The fever is not contagious, and there are usually no respiratory complications. Symptoms usually start within 15 days of a mosquito bite. Hospitalizations for severe cases are common.
Meantime, a second case of locally acquired West Nile virus in Duval County. The diagnosis was made just over two weeks after the health department confirmed the first case.
Jacksonville Mosquito Control has been coordinating surveillance and ground spraying.
Statewide, there have been seven West Nile cases, with patients also in Alachua and Walton counties.
The health department also reported that 26 sentinel chickens tested positive for antibodies to West Nile in Bay, Citrus, Hillsborough, Leon, Orange, Pasco, Pinellas, St. Lucie and Walton counties.
The reporting and testing of dead birds is one way to check for the presence of West Nile. Residents are encouraged to report dead birds to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s avian health page.
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Symptoms of West Nile include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. Severe illness can affect the central nervous symptom and result in hospitalization or death.
As of Aug. 29, there are mosquito-borne illness advisories in Alachua, Brevard, Leon, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco, and Walton counties. Mosquito-borne illness alerts are in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Duval and Miami-Dade.
Polk County Mosquito Control announced it was increasing public education, checking homes in areas considered at risk and spraying for mosquitoes more often.
Health officials recommend personal prevention focused on three actions: spray, cover and drain.
- Using a federally registered insect repellent with these active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol or 2-undecanone.
- Wearing loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants while outside and avoiding areas with high mosquito populations, especially at sunrise and sunset.
- Removing any standing water around residences where mosquitoes can breed.
State officials said surveillance for mosquito-borne illnesses is ongoing – including West Nile, dengue, Eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis and malaria.
