Florida dengue fever cases rise to 485 in largest outbreak in decades

Florida health officials have confirmed 485 locally acquired cases of dengue fever this year, according to the New York Post. The state is battling its largest dengue outbreak in decades. The total has risen from 252 cases recorded a month ago, as FTMQ News reported earlier. [1][4]

Between October 18 and October 24, state surveillance recorded 60 new infections, the New York Post reported. The Tampa Bay area accounts for roughly 95 percent of all locally acquired cases recorded across the state. These local infections are separate from more than 300 travel-associated dengue cases reported in Florida during 2026. [1]

The increase in cases prompted local emergency declarations in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties in late September, the New York Post said. The emergency declarations allow local officials to speed up purchasing and spraying operations, as well as request state and federal reimbursement. Hillsborough County has extended its state of local emergency as cases continue to rise. [1]

Florida features low-lying plains and a subtropical to tropical climate that provides year-round warmth. Globally, dengue fever infects between 50 million and 100 million people every year, as FTMQ News reported earlier. [3][4]