Mosquitoes

Maurice Kurtz tells CIDRAP News he woke up with a 101-degree fever and "ached so much." After tests for flu and COVID came back negative, he went to an urgent care clinic for a dengue test.

Pinellas reported 17 more cases as the outbreak shows signs of crossing the bay. Hillsborough added 51 cases in the state's latest weekly update of mosquito-borne illnesses.

Orange County is reporting two more Florida cases of the mosquito-borne illness known as dengue. The cases are a small indication of the state's record-breaking case total.

The city canvassed urged residents to dump out any standing water, which is how the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes responsible for the virus breed. Most of the breeding spots are abandoned tires.

Health officials have cautioned the mosquito-borne illness doesn't respect county boundaries. In a region connected by daily commuting, infected people can spread it beyond the original hotspots.

Mosquito control experts say this year's unusual weather conditions — extreme drought along the Gulf Coast followed by heavy rain in August — played a part in an explosion of mosquitoes and the current outbreak of locally acquired dengue.

The scientists identified a vulnerable piece of the recurring malaria parasite P. vivax, advancing efforts to develop a vaccine against relapse-causing infections.

Broward is the eighth Florida county to confirm a locally acquired case during the current outbreak, which has mostly been limited to the Tampa Bay area – primarily Hillsborough County.

Pinellas County officials say getting rid of empty tires could eliminate breeding sites for mosquitoes — so they're waiving collection fees through Oct. 30.

Hillsborough added 36 cases, per the latest state report on mosquito-borne illnesses, while Pasco and Pinellas officials went into a proactive mode while their counts remain low.

The 80-year-old was apparently the first person in the region killed by the mosquito-spread virus in nearly a century. At the same time, there are signs the Hillsborough County outbreak could be waning.

A proposed rule would allow people to receive the shot at pharmacies. The Board of Pharmacy is accepting public comments through Oct. 8.