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Florida confirms a death from dengue fever amid outbreak
The Weather Channel • • health
Key Points:
- Florida is facing one of its worst dengue fever surges in decades, with over 130 locally acquired cases in Hillsborough County and the first death confirmed this year, involving an elderly Tampa woman.
- The outbreak is attributed to weather conditions that have allowed mosquitoes carrying the virus to multiply, with the current case count already the second highest on record for the state.
- Dengue symptoms range from mild flu-like illness to severe cases causing bleeding, shock, and death; many infections go unreported as some individuals do not exhibit symptoms.
- Efforts to control the outbreak include intensive mosquito spraying and property inspections to eliminate breeding sites, with recent tests indicating a potential decline in new infections.
- Experts warn that dengue may become a recurring issue in Florida due to the persistent presence of virus-carrying mosquitoes, suggesting the disease could become "somewhat the new normal."
