PALM BEACH COUNTY, Florida – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday issued a health alert about the risk of dengue fever transmission in the United States, including at least 13 cases in Palm Beach County.
According to the CDC, the warning is due to an unexpected rise in dengue fever cases across the country.
The agency said many countries are reporting more cases than usual this year because of warmer temperatures, which can create ideal conditions for mosquitoes to spread the disease.
According to the CDC, most local transmission of dengue in the United States occurs in areas where dengue is common, such as U.S. territories and freely associated states.
Your health matters
Health officials tell US doctors to be alert for dengue fever
2:53 pm, June 25, 2024
According to the CDC, there have been 2,241 cases in the U.S. so far this year. Most of these cases are travel-related.
In the US, Puerto Rico, where nearly 1,500 cases have been reported, has declared a public health emergency.
Florida has the most cases in the continental United States, with the majority of these cases in Miami-Dade County.
There have been 13 cases in Palm Beach County. All of these cases are travel-related.
“Most dengue fever is spread by travelers,” said Dr. Leslie Diaz, an infectious disease specialist in Palm Beach County. “People travel to areas where the disease is common. They get the disease from a mosquito bite and then they come back home here.”
As of Wednesday, no cases had been reported in Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Indian River counties.
The CDC said dengue fever symptoms can begin within a few days of the bite, but can take up to two weeks to develop. The most common symptoms include fever, nausea, rash and body aches. Severe cases can lead to shock, internal bleeding and even death.
“Maybe one in 20 cases could be sepsis or septic shock,” Diaz said.
Dengue is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. According to the CDC, there is no widely available dengue vaccine to prevent dengue infection. The best way to prevent dengue is to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
- cover your skin when going outside
- Wear loose-fitting and long-sleeved shirts and pants
- Use insect repellent
- Get rid of standing water around your home, where insects breed
- Be careful while traveling this summer
“Awareness is the key,” Diaz said. “I’ll put on mosquito repellent when I go outside. Or I’ll wear loose, cool clothes with long sleeves. These are things you should keep in mind when you travel.”
