Hillsborough County Reports First Dengue Fever-Related Death Amidst Rising Cases and Aggressive Mosquito Control Efforts
Hillsborough County, Florida, has reported its first dengue fever-related death, as the county accounts for 88% of Florida's locally acquired dengue cases, with 134 infections reported so far. Doctors at Tampa General Hospital have treated over 100 dengue patients, noting severe symptoms like 'break-bone fever.' In response to the escalating situation, Hillsborough County Mosquito Management Services is conducting aggressive aerial and truck-based treatments to eliminate both adult mosquitoes and larvae. These efforts appear to be effective, with mosquito trap numbers decreasing in certain locations and adult mosquito samples testing negative for dengue over the past two weeks. Furthermore, laboratory tests confirm that infected female mosquitoes are not passing the virus to their offspring. County officials are urging residents to assist by eliminating standing water on their properties and using bug spray, as the Aedes aegypti mosquito, responsible for dengue transmission, primarily breeds in man-made co...
