Hunter Walterman
•8/11/2026
LEE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK)—Public health officials are testing mosquitoes in Lee County as the state continues to report new cases of Dengue virus.
Most people who get the virus don't develop symptoms, according to the World Health Organization. However, severe cases can be deadly.
The Florida Department of Health reported 55 Dengue cases across the state as of Aug. 1. The vast majority of those cases came from travel, the health department said.
However, four cases were recorded locally. That means they came from mosquitoes in Florida, which health researchers said is rare. Hillsborough County reported two locally transmitted cases last week.
Florida has Dengue cases almost every year, said Professor Michael Teng, an infectious disease researcher at the University of South Florida. It's usually imported by people who travel overseas.
"There are a lot of dengue virus endemic regions in the Caribbean in South America, so it's not uncommon to see in Florida," Teng said. "I think when we start seeing local transmission of the virus, then we start to worry a little bit because that's the way we can get an outbreak of the virus."
Researchers are keeping an eye on the localized cases, Teng said, but they aren't a concern just yet.
"We literally are always on alert," said Jen McBride with the Lee County Mosquito Control District.
When there is a confirmed or suspected case of dengue, McBride says the district goes to the source and gets to work.
"We spray, we set traps, we spray again," McBride said.
The district also tests mosquitoes at its Buckingham headquarters. Mosquitoes are trapped and brought back to the lab for immediate results.
"They basically grind up the mosquitoes and then run them through a lab test to determine if it's actually carrying that virus," McBride said.
Dengue is not new to Florida. Michael Teng, a University of South Florida virology professor, says it shows up every year, usually from people who travel to other countries and bring it back.
"There are a lot of Dengue virus endemic regions in the Caribbean and South America, so it's not uncommon to see here in Florida," Teng said.
But when cases are local, Teng says it can be concerning. Last week, Hillsborough County reported two local cases of the virus.
"Because they are close together, that shows us that there may be a mosquito or multiple mosquitoes in that area to spread this virus," said Gabby Henderson with Hillsborough Mosquito Management Services.
Teng says not to worry because it's only a handful of cases. He says local transmission is rare, but it can happen.
"If you see a longer period of time where you see local transmission, then it starts becoming worrisome," Teng said. "Right now, not too bad."
