Submitted by the MVCAC VVBD Committee
By Nancy Guan Published August 14, 2026 at 4:50 AM EDT https://www.wusf.org/health-news-florida/2026-08-14/mosquito-control-ramps-up-dengue-cases-hillsborough-pinellas-rise
Eight people in Hillsborough and two in Pinellas recently contracted the mosquito-borne illness [dengue] locally, officials say. Both counties are under alerts. The disease is not endemic to the Tampa Bay region.
Between 2010 to 2025, Hillsborough County reported 277 dengue cases due to travel and nine locally acquired cases. The eight locally acquired cases this year were reported within the last two weeks.
Note: The situation is not unique. As travel to endemic regions continue, the USA including California can expect the continued transport of dengue and other viruses within travelers who may not as yet show symptoms of their infections, thereby providing a risk of local transmission wherever vector populations persist under favorable weather conditions.