Florida has reported 152 locally acquired cases of dengue fever so far in 2026, marking a sharp late-summer surge according to data released by the Florida Department of Health (DOH).
Geographic Breakdown
The overwhelming majority of local infections are concentrated in the Tampa Bay region:
- Hillsborough County: 134 cases
- Pinellas County: 7 cases
- Pasco County: 2 cases
- Other Counties: Remaining cases distributed across South and Central Florida counties.
(Note: The state has also logged 186 international travel-associated dengue cases so far this year, which are tracked separately from local transmission.)
Timeline & Alerts
- Surge Trajectory: Local transmission spiked sharply over late summer, growing from just 21 local cases in July to 124 in August, pushing the total past 150 by mid-September.
- Active Alerts: Duval, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, and Pinellas counties are currently under a mosquito-borne illness alert.
- Active Advisories: Alachua, Brevard, Leon, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco, and Walton counties remain under a mosquito-borne illness advisory.
Prevention & Symptoms
Dengue is transmitted by infected Aedes mosquitoes.
- Symptoms: Include sudden high fever, severe muscle/joint pain (“breakbone fever”), headache, eye pain, and sometimes a skin rash.
- Treatment: There is no specific antiviral treatment; medical guidance focuses on hydration, rest, and taking acetaminophen for fever and pain (avoiding NSAIDs like ibuprofen/aspirin, which increase bleeding risk).
- Control Steps: Health authorities strongly urge residents to drain standing water around yards (flowerpots, buckets, birdbaths) to disrupt breeding cycles, wear protective long clothing, and use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, Picaridin, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.
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