Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — The Florida Department of Health has issued a health alert regarding an outbreak of mosquito-borne disease in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, which have reported 5 cases of dengue fever, according to weekly reports.
In all, 11 locally acquired dengue cases have been reported in the state this year, including two cases documented in Broward County and nine in Miami-Dade County.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Control said that about 400 million people around the world contract dengue fever annually, making it the most common virus transmitted by mosquitoes.
What is dengue fever and where does it spread?
It is spread mainly by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is known to carry several other viruses, such as yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The World Health Organization stated that dengue fever spreads in more than 100 countries, in tropical and subtropical climates, and most of them in urban and peri-urban areas.
It is located in the United States, specifically in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
More than 33,000 locally acquired cases were reported in the United States between 2010 and 2022, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Control.
“Ninety-five percent of cases in the United States have been reported in Puerto Rico,” said Dr. Gabriela Paz Bailey, chief of the dengue branch in the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.
And this is not surprising.
“It has the perfect climate for that. It’s a tropical island,” she added.
Symptoms of dengue fever
About 1 in 4 people with dengue fever develop symptoms.
Among the most common symptoms is fever, and it may also cause nausea, rash, or a feeling of muscle, joint or bone pain.
Acute dengue is less common, affecting about 1 in 20 people.
However, its symptoms remain worrisome, as it can cause shock, internal bleeding, and even death.
Dengue fever vaccine and treatment
The US Food and Drug Administration approved a dengue vaccine in 2019, but it’s not available to everyone.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Control recommends Dengvaxia for children ages 9 to 16 who have laboratory-confirmed evidence of dengue.
However, there is no vaccine available for adults in the United States.
Over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen, can relieve fever or pain.
Experts do not recommend taking any “aspirin” or “ibuprofen”, because they may increase the risk of bleeding, which is sometimes associated with dengue fever.
protection
The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads dengue and other viruses, doesn’t like to travel far, and prefers to breed in our backyards, said Dr. Izik Onlu of the Miami-Dade County Mosquito Control Department.
In doing so, both Onlow and Buzz Bailey recommend removing standing water around your home as much as possible, to prevent mosquitoes from gathering and breeding.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends using repellents registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to prevent bites from mosquitoes that may carry dengue fever.
You can also wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and treat your clothes with 0.5% permethrin, an insecticide.
2023-08-19 11:03:16
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