Florida expands mosquito control as dengue cases rise in Tampa Bay

Florida officials are warning that locally acquired dengue fever cases in Tampa Bay and statewide are expected to rise in coming weeks, with 33 cases reported in Tampa Bay and 41 statewide as of Sept. 1. Mosquito-control agencies are increasing surveillance, inspections, and spraying, with 30 confirmed cases in Hillsborough County, seven in Miami-Dade, three in Pinellas, and one in Palm Beach. Hillsborough and Pinellas are under mosquito-borne illness alerts. Dengue is a viral illness causing fever, aches, nausea, and rash, with rare severe complications. The CDC reported 2024 as a record year, with Florida recording 1,044 cases, including 85 locally acquired ones across 10 counties.