Dengue fever cases surge in Florida following Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Dengue fever cases are on the rise in Florida’s Tampa Bay region following the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The standing water across the state has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The climbing cases of the mosquito-borne illness have become a growing concern, reports New York Post.

The stagnant water around west-central Florida, which is the aftermath of the back-to-back hurricanes Milton and Helene, has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes to lay eggs.

Florida has reported at least 50 dengue fever cases this year, and new cases continues to pop up, according to the state's Department of Health.

Since Milton’s October 9 landfall, four cases of locally acquired dengue fever have been confirmed by the Hillsborough County Health Department. The County Public Works is also pumping out the floodwater from communities, and the Mosquito Management team is doing their best to prevent the spread by aerial spraying.

University of South Florida infectious disease professor Dr. John Sinnott told FOX 13 that the mosquitoes that spread dengue only have a range of about 200 yards, so they’re going to stay around the person that’s sick. He added that these mosquitoes don’t go flying off for 2 or 3 miles or localized within a couple of football fields. According to him they usually stay in one place.

Sinnott said that the dengue symptoms usually start with a headache, which is followed by pain in weight-bearing joins, especially the knees.

Owing to the surging cases, the health officials are encouraging the residents to drain or cover standing water. The Department of Health stated that just a tablespoon of water left out for a week is enough for mosquitoes to multiply.