What to Know About the Dengue Outbreak in the U.S.

This week, Hillsborough County in Florida, which includes Tampa, declared a state of emergency linked to a growing number of dengue cases. So far this year, around 485 cases have been reported in the state, according to the CDC. The disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, can cause serious flu-like illness, and one person in Florida has died in the outbreak so far this year, the state’s department of health told media outlets in September. Seasonal outbreaks of the disease, which affects up to 400 million people worldwide annually, are not unusual in Florida, and they’re often linked to travelers. But this time is a little different, says Michael Johansson, an epidemiologist at Northeastern University. “This is the most locally acquired cases that we've seen in the state,” he says. What is dengue?Dengue, sometimes called dengue fever, is caused by a collection of viruses carried by mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti. Dengue is endemic in a wide swath of the tropics, and usually, most Americans who have the infection acquire it outside of the U.S. during travel. Dengue symptoms can occur 5-7 days after being bitten and range from mild to severe. They may include painful body a...