Tampa Bay Records Florida's First Dengue Death of the Year
Florida health officials confirmed the state's first dengue fever death this year in Hillsborough County, marking the first dengue-related fatality in the Tampa Bay area in nearly a century. The patient, an 80-year-old Tampa resident, had a locally acquired infection with no travel outside the city reported. The Florida Arbovirus Surveillance program shows more than 300 Florida cases this year, including 152 locally acquired in Hillsborough and several more in other counties, plus 186 travel-related cases—many linked to Cuba. Officials urge residents to use insect repellent, wear long sleeves/pants, and seek care for symptoms such as fever, severe muscle/joint pain, or rash within about 15 days of a mosquito bite.