Dengue-carrying mosquitoes expand their reach into new territories – including Florida

A Hillsborough County, Florida woman has died in what her family says was a dengue infection, part of a cluster of 95 documented local cases since July, though the state health department has not yet confirmed the cause.

Dengue, transmitted by day-biting Aedes mosquitoes rather than person to person, causes severe fever, pain and sometimes life-threatening complications in about 1 in 20 patients. Global cases hit a record 14 million in 2024, and Florida already leads the 50 states in local transmission risk.

Physicians note the disease is easily mistaken for flu or COVID in regions unaccustomed to it, delaying treatment during a dangerous window when symptoms can suddenly worsen after the fever breaks.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.