HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Health officials in Florida have issued mosquito-borne illness alerts after locally acquired dengue cases were reported in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. The virus, often called breakbone fever, is known for causing severe aches and pain in the muscles, joints and bones, along with pain behind the eyes.
At least 10 locally acquired cases have been reported in the state, according to county and federal health information cited by officials. The warnings come as the summer mosquito season continues and public health agencies urge residents to watch for symptoms and reduce exposure to mosquito bites.
Hillsborough and Pinellas report locally acquired infections
Hillsborough County reported eight locally acquired dengue cases and placed the area under a mosquito-borne illness alert. Pinellas County reported two locally acquired cases. Both counties are on Florida’s Gulf Coast and issued their warnings in mid-August as officials tracked possible local spread.
The Florida reports matter because most dengue cases in the United States are tied to travel, not community transmission. Local spread means the virus was likely passed by mosquitoes within the state rather than brought in by an infected traveler alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that kind of transmission is possible wherever Aedes mosquitoes are present…