Florida reported 44 new locally acquired dengue cases in its latest weekly surveillance report, bringing the state’s 2026 total to 296. The Florida Department of Health’s Week 39 report, covering Sept. 27 through Oct. 3, also shows that Broward County has become the eighth Florida county with local spread this year.
Broward had one locally acquired case with illness onset in September, according to the state report. Locally acquired means the person was infected by a mosquito in Florida rather than while traveling, a sign that the virus is circulating in local mosquito populations.
The state also expanded its list of counties under mosquito-borne illness advisories. Broward, Holmes, Manatee and Martin now join Brevard, Leon, Palm Beach, Polk and Walton. Seven counties remain under the stronger alert level: Alachua, Duval, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Orange, Pasco and Pinellas.
Tampa Bay Still Drives the Count as Spread Reaches Broward
The outbreak remains centered in Tampa Bay. Hillsborough County accounts for 259 of the 296 local cases, or about 88%, according to the state data. Hillsborough rose from 223 to 259 cases in one week, and Pinellas County rose from 13 to 20.
Other counties reporting local cases this year are Miami-Dade with eight, Orange and Pasco with three each, and Broward, Palm Beach and Polk with one each. Miami-Dade’s total did not change from the previous week.
The weekly increase was smaller than the week before. The state reported 62 new local cases in its Week 38 report and 44 in Week 39. One week does not make a trend, and cases are often reported after a delay.
MedicalDaily previously reported that the outbreak had reached 252 local cases with Polk as the seventh affected county. The newest data add Broward to a South Florida area where Miami-Dade and Palm Beach had already reported local cases.
South Florida Households and the Travel Connection
Broward’s single local case does not mean residents face the same risk as people in Hillsborough. It does mean the virus has likely been spread by local mosquitoes in another part of the state.
South Florida also reports most of the state’s travel-related dengue. Florida has recorded 262 travel-associated dengue cases this year, including 215 linked to travel to Cuba, according to the state report. Miami-Dade reported 160 of those cases and Broward 20, Outbreak News Today reported, citing state data.
Travel cases matter because a local mosquito can bite an infected traveler and then pass the virus to someone who never left the area. Nearly all local cases with a known type this year involve DENV-2, the state report shows. State testing has also detected the virus in 20 pools of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, 19 in Hillsborough County and one in Pasco County.
An 80-year-old Tampa woman died of dengue on Sept. 4, and the state confirmed the cause of death later that month, WUSF reported. The Week 39 report did not list any new deaths.
Symptoms, Warning Signs and Who Faces Greater Risk
About one in four people infected with dengue get sick. Symptoms can include fever with aches and pains, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting, and rash. The CDC’s dengue symptom guide lists warning signs of severe dengue, including belly pain or tenderness, vomiting at least three times in 24 hours, bleeding from the nose or gums, vomiting blood or blood in the stool, and feeling extremely tired or restless.
Those warning signs usually begin in the 24 to 48 hours after the fever goes away, so families should not assume the illness is over when the fever breaks. Anyone with warning signs should get emergency care.
Infants, pregnant people, adults 65 and older, and people with certain medical conditions face a higher risk of complications, according to the CDC. A second dengue infection with a different type also carries a higher risk of severe illness. There is no specific medicine to treat dengue, so early medical care and close monitoring matter.
Parents should tell a clinician about any fever in a child who lives in an affected county or recently traveled to an area with dengue. Testing confirms cases and helps health departments target mosquito control.
State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo urged residents ahead of Labor Day weekend to take simple precautions. “Use insect repellent, cover up when possible, and remove standing water around your home,” he said in a Florida Department of Health statement.
The Outbreak’s Week-by-Week Timeline
Week 39 (Sept. 27 to Oct. 3): The state reported 44 new local cases, raising the 2026 total to 296. Broward became the eighth county with local spread, and four counties were added to the advisory list.
Week 38 (Sept. 20 to Sept. 26): The state reported 62 new local cases for a total of 252, with Polk as the seventh affected county.
September: The Florida Department of Health confirmed dengue as the cause of death of an 80-year-old Tampa woman.
July: Illness onset dates in the state report show local transmission was underway, with 21 cases beginning that month.
It is not yet clear whether cooler weather will slow mosquito activity soon enough to end the season’s spread, or whether more counties will report local cases. Late reporting can also add cases to past weeks. For now, the most useful steps for Florida families are emptying standing water, using repellent and seeking care quickly for fever or warning signs.
Key Questions Answered
How many local dengue cases has Florida reported in 2026? Florida has reported 296 locally acquired dengue cases this year, with data through Oct. 3, according to the Florida Department of Health.
What is new in the latest report? The state added 44 local cases in one week, Broward became the eighth county with local spread, and four counties were added to the mosquito-borne illness advisory list.
What does locally acquired dengue mean? It means the person was infected by a mosquito in Florida rather than while traveling.
Which county has the most cases? Hillsborough County has 259 of the 296 local cases, making Tampa Bay the center of the outbreak.
What are the warning signs of severe dengue? The CDC lists belly pain or tenderness, repeated vomiting, bleeding from the nose or gums, blood in vomit or stool, and extreme tiredness or restlessness. These signs need emergency care.
Who is at higher risk? Infants, pregnant people, adults 65 and older, people with certain medical conditions and people infected a second time with a different dengue type face higher risk of severe illness.
How can families protect themselves? Use insect repellent, cover up when possible and remove standing water around the home where mosquitoes breed.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
