Miami-Dade County reports the highest number of dengue cases in the United States, most of them due to trips to Cuba, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to the Florida Department of Health, from January 1st until May 21st, Florida reported 180 cases of dengue, of which 173 are associated with individuals who returned from an endemic dengue area in the two weeks before the onset of symptoms.
The most affected county is Miami-Dade (74), followed by Broward (30); Flagler, Hernando, and Hillsborough (12), Okaloosa and Orange (11), and Palm Beach (10). There were also 17 cases reported in non-residents in Florida.
Regarding the seven cases in which patients acquired the virus locally, six are from Miami-Dade and one from Pasco.
The number of cases in Florida has doubled this year compared to the same period in 2023, due to the influx of infected people who have entered the country from the Caribbean and the southern hemisphere.
The Bloomberg portal revealed that health authorities are trying to prevent the disease from spreading to the local mosquito population before the summer rains arrive and increase the risks.
New York is the state with the second highest number of infections, with 114 cases, all imported.
The CDC reminds that symptoms of dengue usually begin a few days after a person is bitten, but they can take up to two weeks to develop.
The symptoms may include fever, nausea, vomiting, rash, headache, pain in the eyes, joints, and muscles. "In severe cases, dengue can cause shock, internal bleeding, and even death," the organization states.
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