Health alerts issued as cases of painful illness typically found in tropical countries spreads across Florida
Two Florida counties have reported 10 locally acquired cases of breakbone fever.
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THE TAKEAWAY
- At least 10 locally acquired cases of dengue have been reported in Florida.
- The virus is often called breakbone fever because of its painful symptoms.
- Cases are reported in 49 U.S. states, but local transmission is not common.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla.– A mosquito-borne virus commonly reported in tropical countries has been reported in Florida, with county health departments issuing alerts for local transmission.
"Breakbone Fever," more commonly known as dengue, is spread by a bite of an Aedes mosquito.
It earns the nickname "breakbone fever" because of how painful it is, causing aches and pains in the muscles, joints and bone as well as behind the eyes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
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Aedes aegypti mosquito in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on June 05, 2026.
(Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto / Getty Images)
Most cases found in the U.S. are picked up by travelers in other countries where dengue is commonly found.
However, the Aedes mosquito can be found in the U.S., meaning local spread of dengue is possible, the CDC said.
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So far in 2026, 149 cases of dengue have been reported in Florida, with officials in at least two counties prompting warnings of locally spread cases.
Pinellas County and Hillsborough County, both on Florida's Gulf Coast, issued alerts on these cases in mid-August.
Hillsborough County reported eight locally acquired cases of breakbone fever, prompting the county to be under a mosquito-borne illness alert.
Pinellas County reported two locally acquired cases.
The risk of widespread transmission of Dengue is low, the CDC reported.
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Limited local spread of dengue has also been reported in Hawaii, Texas, Arizona and California.
Symptoms of dengue usually begin within 2 weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito, and typically last two to seven days, the CDC said.
Female Aedes mosquitoes, including the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) and the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti), are observed feeding on human blood in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on May 01, 2026.
(Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto / Getty Images)
Most people will recover from their symptoms after about a week.
Dengue has been reported in all U.S. states but Alaska, according to CDC data.
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It can be found all over the world, with nearly 400 million cases reported each year.
Other symptoms of dengue include nausea and vomiting, rash, fever and headache.
About 1 in 20 people who get sick with dengue will develop severe dengue. Severe dengue can result in shock, internal bleeding and death, the CDC said.
The CDC said to see your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of dengue and live in or have recently traveled to an area with risk of dengue.