Florida Reports First Dengue Death Amid Severe Outbreak

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Florida health officials confirmed Friday the state's first death this year from dengue fever, a mosquito-borne illness. The death coincides with one of the state's most significant dengue outbreaks in decades.

The Florida Department of Health announced the fatality without providing further details. This death is linked to more than 130 locally acquired dengue cases reported so far this year in Hillsborough County. This number significantly exceeds the handful of cases typically seen in the region.

“This is wildly unusual for us,” said Chris Wilkerson, a spokesperson for Hillsborough County. The Tampa Bay Times reported the deceased was an elderly Tampa woman who died Sept. 4.

Dengue is a virus carried by a mosquito that thrives in warm weather. Climate change is expanding the mosquito's range, according to experts. Recent weather patterns that have allowed these mosquitoes to multiply are believed to be fueling the current outbreak.

While most dengue cases in the U.S. historically involved returning travelers, Florida saw its first continental U.S. cases outside the Texas-Mexico border since 1945 in Key West in 2009-2010. Last year, 2023, marked the state's highest number of reported cases with nearly 200. This year's total of 152 locally acquired cases ranks second highest, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Many dengue infections cause no symptoms, meaning reported numbers likely underestimate the actual number of infections. Some individuals experience flu-like symptoms, including headache and fever. Severe cases can lead to dangerous bleeding, shock and death.

Mosquito control efforts are underway north of Tampa, the outbreak's center. Workers are spraying insecticides and inspecting properties for standing water where mosquitoes breed, such as old tires. Recent mosquito sampling has not detected the virus, suggesting a potential decrease in new infection risk.

“I do think it’s going to be somewhat the new normal,” said Michael von Fricken, a University of Florida associate professor of environmental and global health, referring to the recurring threat of dengue due to persistent, suitable mosquito populations in Florida.