Health officials issued a warning on Tuesday alerting authorities, health care providers, and the public of the increased risk of dengue fever infections in the US.
The virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, has been surging worldwide, helped by climate change. In barely six months, countries across the globe have broken calendar-year records for dengue cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its health alert on Tuesday that doctors should know the symptoms, ask questions about where patients recently traveled, and consider ordering dengue tests when appropriate.
A total of 2,241 dengue cases have been reported so far this year in the US, including 1,498 cases in Puerto Rico, where a public health emergency was declared in March after cases exceeded historical figures.
Florida has the most reported cases in the continental US, with most of those cases in Miami-Dade County and at least 13 cases in Palm Beach County.
Dr. Leslie Diaz, an infectious disease specialist in Palm Beach County, said to WPTV: “Most dengue fever (cases) are acquired through travelers. People that go to areas that is endemic there. They acquire it by a bite of a mosquito and they travel back home here.”
Many infected people don’t get sick, but some experience headache, fever, and flu-like symptoms. Severe cases can involve serious bleeding, shock, and death. Repeated infections can be especially dangerous.
There is no widely available medicine for treating dengue infections. The CDC reported 3,036 dengue cases last year in the US and its territories, mostly in Puerto Rico and about 180 in Florida, Texas, and California.
