Florida Sprays 2 Counties as Dengue Outbreak Hits 524 Local Cases

1 articles · Updated · NBC Miami · Nov 9

Helicopters on Nov. 5 sprayed Bti larvicide over parts of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties as Florida tried to curb its biggest dengue outbreak in more than 15 years.
Florida has recorded 524 locally acquired cases and 382 travel-associated infections as of Oct. 31, far above the previous in-state peak of 189 local cases in 2023.
Excessive late-season rainfall and Florida’s warm climate have helped Aedes mosquitoes multiply, and infected travelers can seed local transmission when mosquitoes bite them and spread the virus further.
Dengue has no widely available vaccine or specific cure; officials are urging residents to remove standing water, use EPA-registered repellents, and seek care quickly for severe symptoms such as bleeding or intense abdominal pain.
The outbreak underscores a wider U.S. risk: CDC data showed local dengue transmission in Florida, California and Arizona in 2025, and Virginia reported a locally acquired case in August.