Tampa Bay Ramps Up Spraying After 10 Local Dengue Cases Surface
Updated
Updated · WUSF · Aug 14
Tampa Bay Ramps Up Spraying After 10 Local Dengue Cases Surface
3 articles · Updated · WUSF · Aug 14
Summary
Hillsborough County logged eight locally acquired dengue cases in the past two weeks and Pinellas reported two, putting both counties under mosquito-borne illness alerts.
Health officials said infected travelers were likely bitten by local mosquitoes, seeding transmission in an area where dengue is usually travel-related rather than endemic.
Pinellas' case is its first locally acquired dengue infection in more than 15 years, while Hillsborough has now found one dengue-positive mosquito in trap testing.
Truck and helicopter spraying is underway in both counties, with crews also treating homes and businesses by hand and urging residents to dump standing water.
Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus bite during the day and breed in tiny water sources, prompting officials to push the 'dump, dress and defend' message.