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With the arrival of heat and the first rains of May, south Florida enters the peak mosquito season, the insect that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider the deadliest animal in the world due to its ability to transmit dengue, West Nile virus, Zika, chikungunya, malaria, and lymphatic filariasis.
The subtropical climate of the counties of Miami-Dade and Broward allows mosquitoes to reproduce virtually year-round, but the intense heat and standing water from the rains—which stretch from mid-May to mid-October—create ideal conditions for their massive proliferation, according to alerts from Telemundo 51 regarding the mosquito season in Miami.
Both counties activate awareness and prevention plans each year in response to this seasonal phenomenon.
Dr. Dadilia Garcés has warned about Miami's particular vulnerability: "They are vectors for many viruses that can cause quite severe illnesses. Such is the case with the West Nile virus that we have here in Florida; encephalitis can also occur, and we must consider that Miami is a major port and airport where people can come from other places, especially South America, carrying other types of diseases that need a mosquito as a vector, such as dengue and chikungunya."
West Nile virus is the leading mosquito-borne disease in the United States: each year, around 2,000 people receive a diagnosis, although the actual number is higher because 80% of those infected do not develop symptoms.
In Florida, six cases of this disease were reported in 2025, out of a total of 2,076 nationwide.
Dengue has a higher incidence in the state: so far in 2026, 26 cases have been reported in Florida, out of a total of 685 in the U.S.
The regional risk is significant. Cuba, situated just 90 miles south of Florida, experienced in 2025 one of the worst epidemics of dengue and chikungunya in its recent history, with more than 81,000 infected and 65 deaths officially recognized, while independent records documented at least 87 fatalities, most of whom were minors.
That situation increases the risk of imported cases in South Florida, where the Cuban community is large and travel is frequent. In 2016, Miami was declared ground zero in the fight against Zika in the US, with intensive nighttime spraying operations.
Authorities recommend a series of preventive measures to reduce the proliferation of mosquitoes and the risk of bites:
- Drain stagnant water from pots, pool covers, toys, and any outdoor containers.
- Apply repellent with DEET, picaridin, lemon eucalyptus oil, or the compound IR3535.
- Cover the skin with long clothing when outdoors during peak insect activity hours.
- Use mosquito nets to protect babies under two months old.
- Cover doors and windows with protective screens and repair those that are broken.
Residents of Miami-Dade can report infestations to 311 or the Mosquito Control Department through miamidade.gov. In Broward, reports can be made to 311, at 954-831-3940, or by using the form at broward.org.
In 2023, Cuba confirmed dozens of deaths from dengue and chikungunya in an epidemic that highlighted how quickly these vector-borne diseases can cross borders, a reminder that a global problem can rapidly become a local one.
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