Health Officials issue Mosquito-Borne Illness Advisory

Key West, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health in Monroe County (DOH-Monroe) has received laboratory confirmation of a case of dengue virus infection. All indications are that this infection was locally acquired in Key West. This individual has received medical treatment and is currently recuperating. The person is not a resident of Florida and has returned to their home state. The individual is also expected to make a full recovery.

There are no other confirmed cases at this time. DOH-Monroe and the Division of Disease Control and Health Protection are currently conducting epidemiological studies to determine the origin and extent of infection. Florida Keys Mosquito Control is assisting with the investigation and has intensified its mosquito control activities throughout Key West.

Dengue can present as a flu like illness with severe muscle aches and pain, fever and sometimes a rash. Usually, there are no respiratory symptoms. Symptoms of dengue will appear within ten days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Dengue Fever is not contagious, but is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. Key West experienced an outbreak beginning in 2009, but has remained free from dengue since October 2010.

There are no reported cases of Zika in Monroe County; there are more than 120 cases of travel-related Zika reported in Florida. All of these cases were acquired outside of Florida. There have been no locally-transmitted cases of Zika in Florida or the United States.

The emergence of this dengue case reinforces the importance for the public to prevent insect bites. These measures include in-tact window screens and the use of air conditioning, keeping the area around your residence free from containers that collect water, wearing protective clothing and the appropriate use of insect repellents.

For more information about mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue, click here.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

 

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