Health advisories and alerts have been issued for the affected counties.
But the number of travel-related cases of dengue reported in Florida so far in 2024 is much higher, with 417 cases reported, according to the Florida Department of Health, with most of the cases coming from Cuba, Brazil and Colombia and Argentina.
Every year, up to 400 million people worldwide are infected by a dengue virus, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention said . Of the people infected, one in four will get sick with mild to severe symptoms that can become life-threatening within a few hours.
Here's what you should know.
Locally acquired cases of dengue reported in 6 Florida counties
As of Aug. 24, there have been 25 cases of locally acquired dengue in Florida in six counties. Here's the breakdown:
Hillsborough County: 2 cases in June
Manatee County: 1 case in July
Miami-Dade County: 16 cases: 2 in January, 2 in February and March, 5 in April and June, 5 in July
Monroe County: 3 cases in June
Orange County: 2 cases in August
Pasco County: 1 case in January
In 2023 , there were positive samples from 176 humans and one mosquito pool in five counties.
Mosquito-borne advisories, illness alerts issues for 6 Florida counties
Counties currently under a mosquito-borne illness advisory include:
Alachua County
Bay County
Duval County
Holmes County
Madison County
Manatee County
Nassau County
Orange County
Pasco County
Counties under a mosquito-borne illness alert include:
What's the difference between an advisory and an alert for mosquito-borne illnesses?
An advisory is issued if there is one positive locally acquired case in the past week, said James Williams, press secretary with the Florida Department of Health.
An alert is issued if there are two or more positive locally acquired cases in the prior week.
How long the advisories and alerts are in effect depends on the different types of mosquito-borne illness, but they generally range from six to 12 weeks.
417 cases of travel-related dengue reported in Florida since Jan. 1, 2024
There have been 417 cases of dengue in Florida in 30 counties reported so far this year in people with a travel history to a dengue-endemic area in the two weeks prior to onset.
Counties reporting cases include:
Alachua County: 1 case
Brevard County: 6 cases
Broward County: 60 cases
Charlotte County: 2 cases
Collier County: 5 cases
Duval County: 7 cases
Escambia County: 2
Flagler County: 1 case
Hernando County: 1 case
Hillsborough County: 31 cases
Lake County: 3 cases
Lee County: 14 cases
Levy: County: 2
Manatee County: 1 case
Marion County: 3 cases
Martin County: 1 case
Miami-Dade County: 175 cases
Monroe County: 2
Okaloosa County: 1 case
Orange County: 27 cases
Osceola County: 13 cases
Palm Beach County: 23 cases
Pasco County: 5 cases
Pinellas County: 3 cases
Polk County: 10 cases
Santa Rosa County: 1 case
Sarasota County: 4 cases
Seminole County: 3 cases
St. Lucie County: 3 cases
Volusia County: 4 cases
Forty-four cases were reported in non-Florida residents. Six cases met the criteria for severe dengue — dengue shock syndrome or dengue hemorrhagic fever.
The most cases (153) came from Cuba, with 62 cases from travelers to Brazil, 28 from Colombia, 26 from Puerto Rico, and the rest scattered all over Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Those at greater risk for dengue shock syndrome or dengue hemorrhagic fever include those with previous dengue infection, pregnant women, infants and the elderly.
In 2023, there were 578 travel-associated cases reported in Florida.
What is dengue fever?
Dengue is a viral disease caused by any of four related viruses, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
People are infected through the bite of certain species of mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti , but also Aedes albopictus , both of which are present in Florida , according to the Florida Department of Health.
The mosquitoes are common in tropical and subtropical areas, and millions of dengue infections occur around the world every year, according to the Mayo Clinic.
What are the symptoms of dengue fever?
The most common dengue symptom is a high fever of 104 degrees, and any of the following signs:
Headache
Muscle, bone or joint pain
Nausea
Vomiting
Rash
Pain behind the eyes
Swollen glands
Mild symptoms of dengue can be confused with other illnesses that cause fever, the CDC said.
After a female mosquito bites a person infected with the dengue virus, there's an incubation period of 8 to 12 days. After that time, the mosquito can transmit the virus for the rest of their one-month life span, the CDC said.
Drain and cover: Protect yourself from mosquito-borne illnesses
Preventing transmission is key, Williams said.
"The big thing is prevention. We're not in a crisis and it's not something to be freaking out about. In Florida, it's nothing unusual and as we get hotter and wetter, there are going to be more mosquitoes.
"Drain and cover is going to be gospel. Drain standing water every two to three days; every day is even better.
Also wear approved mosquito repellent. Repellent is not always the best for toddlers who put their hands in their mouths so cover up with summerweight materials. Use screens for your home, car and tent.
"You want to limit mosquitoes' ability to lay larvae and eliminate them getting to you."
If you think you don't have anything that needs to be drained, consider these:
Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flowerpots or any other containers where sprinkler or rainwater has collected.
Discard old tires, bottles, pots, broken appliances and other items not being used.
Empty and clean birdbaths and pets’ water bowls at least twice a week.
Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that do not accumulate water.
Maintain swimming pools in good condition and chlorinated. Empty plastic swimming pools when not in use.
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