The Brief
- A Lakeland woman who survived dengue fever is sharing her experience as locally acquired cases continue to rise across the Tampa Bay region.
- Requinn Nicollette says she believes she contracted dengue from a mosquito bite in her backyard in 2024.
- She was hospitalized for four days and says some symptoms, including severe bone and muscle pain, lasted for months.
LAKELAND, Fla. – A Polk County woman is sharing her experience with dengue fever as a way to caution people, with dengue cases continuing to rise throughout Florida and in Tampa Bay.
Lakeland Dengue fever outbreak
What we know:
Requinn Nicollette believes a mosquito bite in her Lakeland backyard in 2024 left her fighting a severe case of dengue fever. The aspiring country music singer says the illness brought intense pain, vomiting, severe bruising, headaches and a major rash.
She also experienced vomiting for about a month and says blood vessels in her legs began leaking internally, causing severe bruising. Constant headaches and a major rash added to the symptoms she was experiencing.…