Florida News Today
Meningococcal disease, Probable local transmission of chikungunya
Meningococcal disease
After reporting zero new meningococcal disease cases in September this year, the Florida Department of Health saw three additional confirmed cases in October and one in November to date.
In 2023, 34 meningococcal disease cases were reported in 16 counties. The number of cases reported year-to-date in 2023 is higher than the average number of cases observed at this time in previous years.
Counties reporting the most cases include Orange (6), Duval (4) and Hernando and Pinellas with three a piece.
6 deaths were identified as being associated to meningococcal disease year to date.
In 2023, the meningococcal disease rate was highest among age 50-64 years at 0.18 cases per 100,000 population.
Vaccines can help prevent meningococcal disease. In October 2023, 67% of reported cases were not vaccinated.
There are currently two types of meningococcal vaccines available in the United States: Meningococcal conjugate or MenACWY vaccines and Serogroup B meningococcal or MenB vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) recommends meningococcal disease vaccination for all preteens and teens as well as other children and adults who are at increased risk of meningococcal disease.
Probable local transmission of chikungunya
As previously reported, Florida has recorded 110 locally transmitted dengue cases to date, including 103 in Miami-Dade County through November 4.
Concerning dengue relative, chikungunya, one case of travel-associated chikungunya fever has been reported in Lee County earlier this year.
Now the Florida Department of Health has recorded in their Reportable Diseases Frequency Report a probable chikungunya case acquired in Florida in Miami-Dade County on November 7.
This would be the first autochthonous chikungunya case of 2023 in the state.
There have been several focal local introductions of chikungunya into Florida in 2014. However, none of those introductions appears to have resulted in ongoing transmission or spread of the virus. Significant local transmission has been reported in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, but has not been reported in any other regions of the United States.