New Dengue Cases Prompt Miami-Dade Health Officials To Issue Mosquito-Borne Illness Alert
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – On Friday, the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade confirmed two additional cases of dengue fever in Miami-Dade County, prompting county health officials to issue a mosquito-borne illness alert.
The new cases appear to be related to previous local cases, officials said.
Dengue is spread, mostly by the aedes aegypti mosquito. It's the kind that loves to hang out along-side humans.
"It bites during the day, whereas most mosquitos coming out at night. It only breeds around humans. It doesn't breed in the bush or in trees or in the Everglades, it only breeds around human habitation. And it only bites humans," said Dr. William Petrie with Miami-Dade Mosquito Control.
Miami-Dade Mosquito Control tells us we all have to do what we can around our own homes to lessen the instances of mosquitos breeding.
"Remove standing water, turn over anything holding water or that can hold water. Buckets and drums are the most common things, plant pots, plant saucers."
Many people have dengue may not realize it. Symptoms are normally mild, maybe feeling like a cold. It's spread by a mosquito first biting an infected person — then passing it on.
"If I am sick with dengue and the mosquito bites me, a healthy mosquito bites me, the mosquito gets infected with dengue, has the virus in its system, then bites you, then it transmits it," Mejia Echeverry said.
Dengue fever can present itself as a flu-like illness with muscle aches, pain, fever, headache, eye pain, and sometimes a rash. The symptoms appear within 14 days of being bitten by an infected mosquito and can last for up to a week.
There are no vaccines to prevent infection. The CDC says that early recognition and treatment can "substantially lower the risk of medical complications and death."
Broward County's first case of Dengue was reported on September 13
To protect yourself from mosquitoes, remember to "Drain and Cover."
- Drain standing water to stop mosquitoes from multiplying.
- Cover your skin with clothing and use mosquito repellent.
- Cover doors and windows with screens to keep mosquitoes out.
- Use mosquito repellent
