Dengue fever has been reported in Florida.

The mosquito-borne disease has been found in a few people who acquired it in Florida and in several others who got it during travels to countries where the disease is more common.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there have been at least six cases of locally transmitted dengue in Florida so far in 2024, with the latest occurring in Hillsborough County on Florida’s West Coast.

Another 172 cases in Florida were travel related.

While most dengue cases reported in the 49 continental US states occur in travelers who visited areas with risk of dengue, limited local spread of dengue has been reported in Florida, Hawaii, Texas, Arizona, and California, the CDC said.

The majority of the dengue cases acquired in Florida were in Miami-Dade County, where six cases have been reported so far this year, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Dengue is a viral disease caused by any of four related viruses, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

People are infected through the bite of certain species of mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti, but also Aedes albopictus, both of which are present in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Health.

The mosquitoes are common in tropical and subtropical areas, and millions of dengue infections occur around the world every year, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Dengue fever is most common in Southeast Asia, the western Pacific islands, Latin America and Africa.

“Dengue fever is the fastest-spreading mosquito-borne viral disease worldwide, affecting over 100 million people annually,” the National Library of Medicine said.

“This disease also leads to 20 to 25,000 deaths, primarily among children, and is prevalent in more than 100 countries. Epidemics occur yearly in the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australia.”

Is there dengue fever in Florida?

Yes. The disease not only has been spreading to new areas, including local outbreaks in Europe, but also to southern parts of the United States, both the CDC and Mayo Clinic reported.

The most common dengue symptom is a high fever of 104 degrees, and any of the following signs:

• Headache
• Muscle, bone or joint pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Rash
• Pain behind the eyes
• Swollen glands

Mild symptoms of dengue can be confused with other illnesses that cause fever, the CDC said.

Symptoms of dengue typically last two to seven days.

Most people will recover after about a week.

When to seek emergency help

Severe dengue is a medical emergency, the CDC said. Warning signs usually begin in the 24 to 48 hours after your fever has gone away.

“About 1 in 20 people who get sick with dengue will develop severe dengue. Severe dengue can result in shock, internal bleeding, and death.” A blood test is the only way to confirm the diagnosis.

“Untreated severe dengue fever may have a mortality rate of 10% to 20%. However, with appropriate supportive care, the mortality rate can be reduced to approximately 1%,” the National Library of Medicine said.

Go to a local clinic or emergency room if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Belly pain or tenderness
• Vomiting (at least three times in 24 hours)
• Bleeding from the nose or gums
• Vomiting blood, or blood in the stool
• Feeling extremely tired or restless