Tampa-area mosquitoes drive the largest continental U.S. dengue surge in decades, prompting emergency declarations and aggressive spraying as local transmission outpaces travel-associated cases.
Hillsborough County Extends Emergency as Local Cases Climb
Hillsborough County Administrator Bonnie Wise signed an executive order extending the state of local emergency through November 5 under authority granted by the County’s Emergency Management Ordinance and Chapter 252, Florida Statutes.
The extension empowers mosquito management crews to increase aerial and ground treatments while surveillance detects dengue virus activity across neighborhood mosquito populations.
State health officials reported that nearly 300 locally acquired cases have been tallied across Florida this year.
The vast majority center in Hillsborough County. State data shows that locally acquired infections have surpassed travel-associated cases by a count of 252 to 245.
At least 13 Hillsborough patients were diagnosed in travelers.
The current outbreak has already made Florida’s surge the largest in any U.S. state in decades.
Operating under the direction of a seven-member, publicly elected Board of County Commissioners, the Hillsborough County government was founded in 1834 to deliver vital services to an expanding and diverse population.
The array of offerings covers infrastructure, water management, solid waste and recycling, parks and recreation, public safety, animal resources, environmental care, and economic advancement, alongside diverse public programs and community assistance. Hillsborough County services are paid for in part by property taxes.
Regional Spread Across Central Florida Counties
The State Department of Health reported 61 additional dengue fever cases in Hillsborough County.
Pinellas County added 29 new cases and Pasco County recorded a pair of infections. Citrus, Manatee, and Polk counties reported no new cases during the same period.
Surge activity extends into Central Florida, where Orange County added 11 new cases.
Brevard County and Seminole County each recorded a single new infection.
Symptoms of the mosquito-borne viral illness typically appear 3 to 14 days after an infected bite. Health officials note that patients experience a sudden onset of fever, severe headache, eye pain, and muscle and joint pain—giving the condition its traditional nickname.
breakbone fever
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One Florida Resident Died from Dengue Fever
The outbreak has resulted in one fatality in Florida this year.
Gay Rabb Small, nearing her 80th birthday, developed a tremor the night after her daily walk along the Tampa shore and was diagnosed with dengue at the emergency room, dying on September 4. She remains the sole fatality among hundreds of people in Florida who have been sickened in a dengue outbreak.
Other Tampa-area patients hospitalized during the outbreak received treatment for fever and dehydration, according to Carla Fry, Hillsborough County’s health officer. Experts warn that the absence of prior immunity among most residents leaves communities vulnerable as climate conditions expand the reach of warm-weather mosquitoes.
I think the dengue outbreaks will get worse over the coming years in the U.S..
Ira Longini, biostatistician at the University of Florida
Tampa Area Crews Spray to Control Mosquitoes
Crews in the Tampa area are spraying day and night while inspecting properties for standing water in items such as tires where mosquitoes breed.
Hillsborough County maintains an online resource with FAQs and neighborhood tracking for localized aerial treatments, and mosquito control services are funded in part by property tax dollars.
Public health experts advise residents in outbreak zones to protect themselves using specific preventative actions:
- Apply EPA-registered insect repellents containing active ingredients like DEET.
- Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants to cover skin.
- Stay indoors behind screens or in air-conditioned rooms, particularly around sunrise and sunset.
- Eliminate standing water on private property to prevent breeding.
There’s a good chance that this is the new normal.
Dawn Wesson, Tulane University expert on dengue and mosquito-borne diseases
For further information, residents can contact Hillsborough County Mosquito Management Services directly at (813) 635-5400. Readers are advised to consult qualified medical professionals regarding personal health concerns, symptoms, or preventive health guidance.
