Florida health officials are issuing the alert due to the rise of locally-transmitted cases of dengue fever and malaria.
Health officials in Broward County, Florida, have issued a warning for Dengue Fever after two locally transmitted cases were recorded in early August. Dengue fever is not commonly transmitted in Florida, and most cases reported to Florida Health have been related to travel to areas where dengue fever is more common.
The announcement comes on the news of further dengue fever infections in neighboring Miami-Dade County, which counted at least four infections of the disease reported in early August.
Dengue fever is a viral infection spread to humans from mosquitos. It is more common in tropical and sub-tropical areas, with the significant cases reported in Brazil, Colombia, India, Kenya, Peru, and The Philippines as of 2021. Also known as bone-break fever, many sufferers of dengue fever experience mild or even no symptoms, but serious cases can cause severe headaches, muscle and joint pains, and high fever, followed by severe abdominal pain, vomiting, fatigue, and a feeling of weakness, among other symptoms. Patients who have contracted dengue fever a second time are more likely to suffer from a more severe form of the illness.
In early June, the Florida Department of Health issued a statewide advisory for mosquito-borne illnesses after four locally-transmitted cases of malaria were reported in Sarasota County. Malaria is a mosquito-borne illness that causes fever, chills, and flu-like symptoms. Around 2,000 cases of malaria are reported in the United States each year—most related to travel from sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia—but the Florida cases were believed to be locally spread.
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The Florida warnings are meant to advise residents and visitors of the increased—but still relatively small—case count of mosquito-borne illnesses. Florida residents can help prevent mosquito-borne illnesses by draining standing water, discarding unused vessels where standing water can accumulate, cover boats and unused swimming pools so standing water doesn’t accumulate, and properly chlorinate or sanitize swimming pools in use.
Florida residents and visitors can prevent mosquito-borne illness by covering their bodies with long pants, long sleeves, and closed shoes with socks if they plant to travel to areas with high mosquito concentrations. Residents and visitors should also use mosquito repellents on exposed areas with active ingredients including DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, 2-undecanone, or IR3535. Children under two should be protected by mosquito netting. The state also has a hotline for residents to report dead birds (which can also be mosquito vectors) for removal.
Vaccines are available for both dengue fever and malaria, but health officials are not recommending vaccines for Florida-bound travelers. Travelers bound for Florida (or any other state) who have concerns about mosquito-borne illnesses should talk to their healthcare providers.
2023 has been an active year for health advisories in Florida. In June, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) noted the likelihood of local transmission of leprosy in Florida, and advised providers that recent travel to Florida could be considered a risk factor for patients presenting symptoms.
Also in June, marine biologists warned about the possibility of a flesh-eating bacteria being found in the sargassum seaweed that washes up on the state’s beaches. Visitors and residents were advised to avoid the piles of seaweed and to only handle them with protective equipment because of the possibility of infection.
It’s worth noting that a large proportion of Florida visitors tend to stick to the state’s beaches, and to the Orlando-area theme parks, where mosquitos are either well-managed or not naturally present. Mosquito-borne illnesses like malaria and dengue fever, while uncomfortable, are easily treatable in the United States.
Travelers concerned about contracting an illness while traveling can always purchase travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses if their illness is ultimately so severe that it necessitates an interruption of their journey or requires them to stay at their destination longer than anticipated to convalesce.