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5 dengue fever cases reported in Brevard County
At least five cases of dengue fever have been reported in Brevard County, and health officials say the infections are linked to local mosquito bites — not international travel.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Multiple cases of dengue fever have been reported in Brevard County, and health officials say the infections are linked to local mosquito bites — not international travel.
What we know:
At least five confirmed cases of dengue fever have been reported in Brevard County, with all infections traced to local mosquito bites rather than international travel.
Health officials have identified the mosquitoes responsible as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus – species that thrive near human habitats and are known vectors for dengue.
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To curb the outbreak, Brevard County Mosquito Control has ramped up response efforts, deploying scent-baited traps in neighborhoods and increasing aerial fogging.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not disclosed the exact locations of the confirmed cases or the potential for additional undiagnosed infections. It’s also unclear how widespread local mosquito transmission may already be or whether more cases will emerge as mosquito season progresses. The long-term effectiveness of the expanded mosquito control measures remains to be seen.
The backstory:
Dengue fever is not new to Florida, but local transmission — meaning infections without travel to dengue-endemic countries — raises new concerns. Past dengue cases in the state were typically imported by travelers returning from tropical regions.
What is dengue fever?
Dig deeper:
Dengue is a viral disease caused by any of the four related viruses: dengue virus 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Symptoms of dengue fever include high fever, severe headache, and intense muscle and joint pain, vomiting and rash. Symptoms of dengue usually begin within two weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms typically last two to seven days. Most people will recover after about a week.
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There is no specific medicine to treat dengue. The best way to prevent dengue is to avoid mosquito bites.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Florida Department of Health, the Brevard County Mosquito Control, Dr. Robert C. Ford, medical director at Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital.