Florida: 1st locally acquired dengue fever case of the year reported in Hillsborough County
The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County (DOH-Hillsborough) reports a confirmed human case of locally-acquired dengue fever, the first in the state in 2026.
DOH-Hillsborough and Hillsborough County Mosquito Management are coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts by conducting treatment.
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Hillsborough County, located on the west-central side of the state, is the fourth-most populous county in Florida and the most populous county outside the Miami metropolitan area. It is the home to the city of Tampa.
In 2025, Florida reported 62 locally acquired dengue cases.
So far in 2026, the total travel associated dengue cases stands at 43 since the beginning of the year and through July.
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Dengue is a disease caused by a virus spread through mosquito bites. The disease can take up to 2 weeks to develop with illness generally lasting less than a week.
Symptoms from dengue include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, rash, muscle and joint pain, and minor bleeding.
Dengue can become severe within a few hours. Severe dengue is a medical emergency, usually requiring hospitalization.
In severe cases, health effects can include hemorrhage (uncontrolled bleeding), shock (seriously low blood pressure), organ failure, and death.