Florida confirms death from dengue fever as state confronts growing outbreak

Florida health officials confirmed one death related to dengue fever on Friday as the state deals with one of the worst outbreaks related to the viral illness.The Florida Department of Health did not provide any specifics about the person who died in Hillsborough County, but the confirmed death was one of more than 130 locally acquired dengue cases that have been reported so far this year in the county, which contains Tampa.At the state level, the Florida Department of Health reported at least 152 dengue cases so far this year in an update issued last week — close to the record set in 2023, when nearly 200 dengue cases were reported. The state has a history of dealing with the disease that dates back to 2009 and 2010. At the time, Key West experienced the first dengue case acquired in the continental United States outside of the border between Texas and Mexico since 1945.The fever spreads through mosquitoes, with some people developing headache, fever, and flu-like symptoms that generally last two to seven days. The most severe cases cause bleeding, vomiting, or death.Gay Small, 80, is the Florida resident identified by the Tampa Bay Times as having died of dengue fever Sept. 4. Her cause of death was “dengue infection” along with “septic shock” and “multi-organ failure,” according to the death certificate reported by the news outlet.The Florida Department of Health is working with county officials in the state to lead surveillance and prevention efforts in response to the dengue fever outbreak.SHAPIRO SAYS HE’LL SPURN FEDERAL MEASLES AID UNTIL CDC CONFIRMS FOUR DEATHSOther highly publicized outbreaks in the United States include a rise in confirmed cases of measles in Pennsylvania. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) is refusing to accept any federal aid until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms the four reported measles deaths. Shapiro has been in a feud with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the public health issue in recent weeks.