Why dengue fever and other mosquito-borne illnesses are surging in Florida

Florida has become a hotbed for mosquito-borne dieases, reporting hundreds of cases of dengue fever, chikungunya fever, and even West Nile virus.

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The state leads the nation in dengue cases this year with 270 reported. Increasingly, residents aren’t just acquiring the virus while traveling abroad — they are getting bitten right at home. Mosquito control experts note that peak dengue season runs from July through September.

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As many as 111 people as of early September have contracted locally acquired dengue in six Florida counties this year. While eight of these cases were in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, a striking 95 occurred in Hillsborough County, where mosquito control teams are working overtime and ramping up spraying. The death of an 80-year-old South Tampa woman may be linked to a dengue infection.

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Read the full story at Sun-Sentinel.com.