The past week brought a break from summer humidity and rain, a change to potentially favorable conditions for mosquito-control experts trying to tamp down the dengue outbreak in the Tampa Bay area.
But the fall-like weather will likely need to stick around longer before its effects show up in reported case numbers.
Hillsborough County added 36 locally acquired dengue infections and Pinellas another 14 in the latest weekly arbovirus report from the Florida Department of Health that covers Oct. 11-17.
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Since the July onset of the mosquito-borne illness in Florida, Hillsborough has 346 cases. Pinellas, which has shown a substantial uptick in recent weeks, is up to 51.
On Thursday, Hillsborough and Pinellas officials said they extended their respective states of emergency related to dengue through Oct. 29.
Elsewhere in the region, Pasco stayed at four infections, while Citrus and Manatee reported their first cases of the outbreak.
Statewide, 57 new cases were recorded, totaling 425 for the year in 11 counties.
Health officials remind citizens that health department database reflects an undercount because many infected people never show symptoms to report. In others, symptoms may not appear for days.
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The virus is spread by Aedes mosquitoes, a species common in Florida. Transmission typically occurs when a female acquires the virus while biting an infected human, then passes it to another person through a subsequent bite.
Cooler, drier fall weather could help slow the outbreak by reducing mosquito activity and limiting breeding sites. But experts caution that transmission can continue as long as infected mosquitoes and people carrying the virus remain in the community.
The Hillsborough and Pinellas mosquito control agencies – with assistance from neighboring counties – have been aggressively working to stymie the mosquito population through spraying of insecticides, removal of standing water the bugs use as breeding sites and educating the public on how to avoid bites.
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Contributing to the problem: cases associated with travel to regions of the world where the disease is endemic. The state database added 32 cases of international-travel dengue during the week of Oct. 11-17 and 320 for the year. The vast majority were in Miami-Dade.
People with dengue can feel as though they have the flu, with severe muscle aches, headaches, joint pain, fever and occasional rashes. Hospitalizations are common for severe cases, which may cause bleeding, shock or even death.
As of Oct. 17, mosquito-borne illness alerts in effect in Alachua, Citrus, Duval, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Orange, Pasco and Pinellas. Advisories are up in Bay, Brevard, Broward, Holmes, Leon, Manatee, Martin, Palm Beach, Polk and Walton.
