Dengue cases rise as first death reported in Florida

Florida is seeing a rise in dengue cases, with 41 new cases reported in the past week, bringing the total to 152 this year, according to the state Department of Health. Lee County resident Brian Esco said the increase in cases is not surprising. "We're in a humid climate, and a big portion of the state is subtropical, so we're going to have more mosquitoes, and I think probably more travelers from this area to areas that would be affected by dengue," Esco said. Jenifer McBride, communications director for the Lee County Mosquito Control District, described the challenges of addressing dengue-carrying mosquitoes. "So this is actually a backyard mosquito; this is notoriously cryptic, it's extremely hard to treat. Really, the best way to combat dengue is by dumping standing water in your backyard," McBride said. She said Florida is expected to surpass last year's record of 199 dengue cases. Most of the cases are in Hillsborough County, where the Department of Health confirmed the state's first-ever dengue-related death on Friday. "The localized cases are when we go on high alert, where we realize we need to be extra vigilant on protecting our community," McBride said. Lee County currently has no locally acquired dengue cases, something Esco said he is thankful for. "This past year, it's been, you know, better than normal. I don't know if it's lack of rain or if it's, you know, better mosquito control policy or, really, what the cause and effect of it is, but it's been better this year," Esco said. McBride said her team is always testing and doing mosquito surveillance, but they are prepared to implement disease prevention protocols if needed. "It's important to be proactive rather than reactive; we don't want to have it here and then have to react. It's always much better to monitor for it and catch it as it comes out immediately," McBride said. Dengue fever causes flu-like symptoms, including high fever, body aches, nausea, and a skin rash. Residents are encouraged to dump any standing water in their backyards to help prevent mosquito-related diseases. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.