Florida health officials have recorded 485 locally acquired dengue cases this year, marking the state’s largest outbreak in decades. The surge is concentrated heavily in the Tampa Bay region, prompting local emergency declarations and heightened mosquito control operations across multiple affected counties.
The state Department of Health recorded 60 new locally acquired infections in a single week, pushing the overall tally to 485 cases for the year. This figure dwarfs previous recent totals, such as the 199 cases logged in 2023 and the 62 infections reported statewide in 2025.
While travel-associated cases continue to seed the state—with over 300 infections linked to international travel, primarily from Cuba—the local transmission vector represents a distinct public health challenge. The virus is spread by infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which thrive in warm, humid residential environments and bite aggressively during daylight hours. Unlike many mosquito species that bite mostly at dawn and dusk, these insects feed actively during the day. An entomologist spokesperson at the SC Johnson Center for Insect Science and Family Health noted that the specific mosquitoes capable of transmitting dengue stay active during daytime hours and thrive in warm, humid environments akin to those found across Florida.
Hillsborough County Bears the Heaviest Burden of the Outbreak
The Tampa Bay area accounts for roughly 95 percent of all locally acquired infections statewide. Hillsborough County alone has logged 385 confirmed cases, driving an aggressive local response that led officials to extend a state of local emergency through the week. Hillsborough County Administrator Bonnie Wise extended the state of local emergency in the county so officials could work to control the mosquito population and protect residents from dengue fever.
The outbreak has already exacted a severe toll.
As cases climbed, local emergency declarations in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties in late September allowed for faster purchasing, targeted spraying, and requests for state and federal reimbursement. Chelsea Kendrick, epidemiology program manager for FLDOH-Hillsborough, warned families that the mosquitoes spreading the virus are active during times when residents are outdoors, including early morning and evening hours when people walk pets or go trick-or-treating.
Statewide Spread Reaches Multiple Counties and Prompts Federal Response
Across four jurisdictions in the United States, including Puerto Rico, 1,819 locally acquired dengue cases have been reported in 2026 according to a CDC database. In Florida specifically, local cases now span 12 counties. The outbreak prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to activate a Level 3 emergency response to support Florida and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, sending personnel to assist local public health leadership and prepare for possible increased transmission in other areas of the United States.
Michael von Fricken, an associate professor of environmental and global health at the University of Florida, explained to the AP that dengue’s threat in Florida is unlikely to tail off soon given how abundant the vector mosquitoes remain in the state. Meanwhile, Eva Buckner, an insect scientist at the University of Florida, described the unprecedented nature of the current transmission levels.
Medical Guidance and Prevention Measures for Residents
Also known as breakbone fever, dengue causes high fevers, severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, rashes, and intense muscular and joint pain. When symptoms do occur, they usually appear four to 10 days after an infectious bite. Health officials emphasize that while many infections produce mild or no symptoms, severe dengue can progress rapidly within 24 to 48 hours after an initial fever subsides.
Warning signs requiring immediate emergency medical care include persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, mucosal bleeding, and extreme lethargy. About 1 in 20 people who get sick with dengue develop severe dengue, according to the CDC, which recommends acetaminophen for fever while advising patients to avoid aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Local mosquito control districts have stepped up targeted ground spraying, aerial applications, and property inspections. Officials urge residents to protect themselves by inspecting yards weekly and draining standing water from birdbaths, gutters, planters, discarded tires, and outdoor containers. When outdoors, individuals should apply EPA-registered insect repellents containing active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus, following all label directions.