The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County reported a human case of “locally acquired” dengue.In a press release, the DOH reports it is “coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts by surveilling and treating the affected area,” with the Mosquito Control Division of Palm Beach County.The Department of Health did not provide any details on specifically where in Palm Beach County the agencies are focusing surveillance and prevention efforts.Your health: Here’s what you need to knowTo protect yourself and your family from mosquito-borne illnesses, the Department of Health encourages people to treat clothing with products containing 0.5% permethrin, apply insect repellant when going outside, get rid of standing water and keep screens on windows.Fighting south Florida pests: How to manage mosquitos Experts say while dengue fever is mostly seen in other parts of the world, the majority of cases in the U.S. occur in the southeast part of the country. “The majority of cases we see in the united states are people who have traveled and come back or people who have come here on their own after living in another country,” said Dr. Larry Bush, infectious disease specialist at Wellington Regional Medical Center. “And they have an illness which is mostly fever and headache, sometimes they get swollen glands and they particularly get a lot of pain behind their eyes.”Bush also says patients of the rarely fatal disease can get lower back pain or pain in their legs or a sore throat or a rash and the symptoms can start days after being bitten.”Most people they recover quickly, but a small percent of people, particularly less than 10 years old may get what’s called dengue hemorrhagic fever, with severe abdominal pain, severe bruising and then as the name says, they may have a hemorrhage, mostly in the gastrointestinal track,” said Bush. And experts say the best thing you can do to protect yourself from dengue fever is avoid mosquito bites. “If hey have standing water around in a house, that’s where mosquitoes breed. And, you know, right now we’re having quite a bit of rain, so that’s pretty prominent,” said Bush. “Secondly is to use insect repellent and the ones that have a chemical called DEET, the highest percentage of that is the best protection.”Bush says unlike other mosquitoes, the kind that spread dengue fever like to bite during the day, so you should keep yourself protected during daytime hours. Bush says the situation in Palm Beach County likely would have involved a mosquito biting someone who traveled or came into the country with the dengue virus in their blood It’s only in the blood of a person with infection for a week or less.Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25 Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County reported a human case of “locally acquired” dengue.
In a press release, the DOH reports it is “coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts by surveilling and treating the affected area,” with the Mosquito Control Division of Palm Beach County.
The Department of Health did not provide any details on specifically where in Palm Beach County the agencies are focusing surveillance and prevention efforts.
Your health: Here’s what you need to know
To protect yourself and your family from mosquito-borne illnesses, the Department of Health encourages people to treat clothing with products containing 0.5% permethrin, apply insect repellant when going outside, get rid of standing water and keep screens on windows.
Fighting south Florida pests: How to manage mosquitos
Experts say while dengue fever is mostly seen in other parts of the world, the majority of cases in the U.S. occur in the southeast part of the country.
“The majority of cases we see in the united states are people who have traveled and come back or people who have come here on their own after living in another country,” said Dr. Larry Bush, infectious disease specialist at Wellington Regional Medical Center. “And they have an illness which is mostly fever and headache, sometimes they get swollen glands and they particularly get a lot of pain behind their eyes.”
Bush also says patients of the rarely fatal disease can get lower back pain or pain in their legs or a sore throat or a rash and the symptoms can start days after being bitten.
“Most people they recover quickly, but a small percent of people, particularly less than 10 years old may get what’s called dengue hemorrhagic fever, with severe abdominal pain, severe bruising and then as the name says, they may have a hemorrhage, mostly in the gastrointestinal track,” said Bush.
And experts say the best thing you can do to protect yourself from dengue fever is avoid mosquito bites.
“If hey have standing water around in a house, that’s where mosquitoes breed. And, you know, right now we’re having quite a bit of rain, so that’s pretty prominent,” said Bush. “Secondly is to use insect repellent and the ones that have a chemical called DEET, the highest percentage of that is the best protection.”
Bush says unlike other mosquitoes, the kind that spread dengue fever like to bite during the day, so you should keep yourself protected during daytime hours.
Bush says the situation in Palm Beach County likely would have involved a mosquito biting someone who traveled or came into the country with the dengue virus in their blood It’s only in the blood of a person with infection for a week or less.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
