{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Two cases of locally acquired dengue fever – a mosquito-borne disease – have been confirmed in the Florida Keys, the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County announced earlier this week.
The Monroe Department of Health and the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) are intensifying their surveillance and prevention efforts as more cases emerge, the statement said.
These measures include door-to-door mosquito inspections in the area, improved trapping and control methods, and aerial and truck-delivered larvicide and adulticide treatments.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TIGER MOSQUITOES GUILTY OF SPREADING DENGUE FEVER: ‘MOST INVASIVE SPECIES’
According to the warning, dengue can cause flu-like symptoms such as severe muscle pain, joint pain, fever and skin rash.
Dengue fever is not contagious and can only be spread by an infected mosquito. Symptoms can appear within 14 days after the bite.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Two locally acquired cases of mosquito-borne dengue fever have been confirmed in the Florida Keys. (iStock)
DOH-Monroe reminded residents to take basic precautions against mosquito bites, including applying insect repellent to skin and clothing, installing screens on windows, using air conditioning in the home and keeping doors and windows closed when possible.
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FKMCD also issued a statement encouraging property owners to prevent mosquito breeding by removing stagnant water.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}You can do this by turning over and removing empty pots, buckets, garbage cans, recycling bins, pet food bowls, and children’s toys that contain water.
Wearing long sleeves and pants and using insect repellent can help prevent mosquito bites. (iStock)
The group also recommended checking the sails of boats and other equipment, as well as gutters, to make sure they are free of debris.
Homeowners are also encouraged to flush fresh water through hanging plants and birdbaths.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News Digital has reached out to the Florida Department of Health for additional comment.
“There are currently no vaccines for mosquito-borne viruses in the United States, and there are not many treatments either.”
“Personal protection remains the best way to stop the spread of mosquito-borne diseases and vector-borne diseases in general,” Joe Fauver, PhD, an epidemiologist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, told Fox News Digital.
“There are currently no vaccines for mosquito-borne viruses in the United States, and there are not many treatments either.”
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Shortly before the local outbreak in Florida, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an official health advisory about an increased risk of dengue infection.
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The agency reported on June 25 that the global incidence of dengue will reach its highest ever in 2024.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The World Health Organization (WHO) recorded more than 7.6 million dengue infections worldwide in the first four months of 2024.
Global health authorities report high number of dengue infections in 2024. (iStock)
The CDC advises health care providers to be alert for symptoms of dengue and to order appropriate diagnostic tests.
During an appearance on FOX Business’ “Varney & Co.” on Tuesday, Dr. Marty Makary, a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said the infection is considered “dangerous” but not at the level of “a new pandemic.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CDC WARNS OF MOSQUITO-BORNE VIRUS AS CASES RISE
“It is endemic in many tropical and warm countries,” he said.
According to the doctor, dengue fever, which occurs in about 38 U.S. states, can be accompanied by typical eye pain and skin rash.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to Florida authorities, the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) is responsible for transmitting dengue. (iStock)
While testing is available, Makary confirms that there is no known treatment for dengue.
“It’s a good reminder to try to minimize mosquito bites as much as possible, especially in the southern United States where this is more common,” he advised.
‘Invasive’ and ‘aggressive’ mosquitoes
Although Florida authorities have identified the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) as the culprit in the spread of dengue, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) previously warned that tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) can also transmit the infection.
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Elitza Theel, PhD, director of Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Minnesota, confirmed that tiger mosquitoes are a “known vector” for dengue fever and can transmit the virus to people who have not previously been infected.
“This mosquito species is concerning for several reasons, including being considered the most invasive species in the world,” she told Fox News Digital last month.
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The mosquito species is moving further north worldwide as temperatures rise, the expert said.
“Tiger mosquitoes are also quite aggressive and bite both humans and animals at any time of the day, and not just at dawn or dusk, as is the case with other mosquito species,” Theel warned.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to experts, the tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus can survive in cooler climates. (iStock)
Fauver warned that the tiger mosquito can spread many “problematic arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses)”, including dengue, zika and chikungunya.
“The mosquito is a generalist eater and likes to take blood meals from humans, potentially exposing them to these arboviruses,” he told Fox News Digital.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Aedes albopictus is an invasive species that is currently undergoing rapid range expansion, establishing populations in areas where this was previously not the case, including Europe and the USA.
Health officials say climate change is one of the factors contributing to the spread of these insects.
Melissa Rudy of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.