A record outbreak in Florida
Florida has reported 252 locally acquired cases of dengue fever in 2026, making this the largest outbreak in the continental United States in decades, state health officials said. The vast majority of the cases are in Hillsborough County, home to Tampa. Florida has also logged 245 travel-related dengue cases this year, for a total of 497.
How dengue spreads
Dengue is carried by infected mosquitoes, mainly Aedes aegypti, which breed in standing water near homes. Most people who are infected have no symptoms. Those who do get sick can develop fever, eye and joint pain, nausea and a rash. The disease is rarely fatal, but severe cases need hospital care. Florida reported one death this year, an older woman in Tampa.
The wider picture
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says national dengue surveillance is limited, so the true count may be higher. Puerto Rico reported 922 locally acquired cases this year, out of 2,145 across the country. Florida's total is closing in on the 264 locally acquired cases Hawaii recorded over six months in 2015 and 2016, the largest outbreak by a US state in decades.
Florida's weekly arbovirus report also noted six positive West Nile virus samples and one case of chikungunya. Six southern Florida counties and the Tampa area have recorded local transmission. Health officials urge residents to drain standing water, use repellent and cover skin, steps that cut the chance of bites while warm weather continues. Experts say rising temperatures and longer mosquito seasons are helping the insects spread into new areas.