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The CDC has activated a Level 3 emergency response for dengue outbreaks in Florida and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Florida has reported 745 dengue cases this year, including 425 locally acquired cases, with most concentrated in the Tampa area.
The CDC has issued a Level 3 emergency response for dengue outbreaks in Florida and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, as Florida reports 745 cases this year, including 425 infections acquired locally. The activation is the agency’s eighth emergency response this year; most of Florida’s locally acquired cases are concentrated in the Tampa area.
The Florida total represents the state’s largest dengue outbreak in decades, according to the report by MedPage Today, which cited CDC information. The 425 locally acquired cases are infections believed to have been contracted in the state, rather than during travel. The report described the outbreak as the largest in the continental United States since 1935.
During a call with clinicians on Thursday, CDC experts said the locally acquired cases primarily involved dengue virus serotype 2, or DENV-2. The agency reported that 54% of cases were in men, the median age was 43, and 45% were among people ages 30 to 49. Forty-seven percent of cases required hospitalization, a share CDC said may indicate that infections are being under-reported.
The CDC’s response also covers the Republic of the Marshall Islands, where a state of emergency has been declared on the two largest islands, Ebeye and Majuro. Chris Braden, acting director of the CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, said the agency had provided programmatic support and sent an Epi-Aid team. The response includes both outbreaks, but the source report did not detail the full scope of CDC operations in Florida.
Local Transmission Raises Florida’s Risk
The response reflects concern about ongoing local transmission, not only infections brought back by travelers. Braden wrote that the widespread presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and recent hurricane-related rainfall mean continued domestic spread remains a concern. The mosquito is capable of carrying dengue, and the report identifies Tampa as the main concentration of Florida’s locally acquired cases.
That matters for people living in or visiting affected areas because infection can occur through mosquito bites, while many infections may not be recognized. Dengue experts cited by MedPage Today said 70% to 90% of infections may be asymptomatic; that estimate is an expert’s account, not a count of confirmed Florida cases. The hospitalization share and the possibility of unreported infections make the outbreak’s full scale difficult to determine from reported cases alone.
The CDC activation also adds to an unusually busy year for the agency’s emergency response staff. Braden’s internal message cited responses involving Cyclospora, Ebola, measles, hantavirus and New World screwworm, as well as activations tied to World Cup safety and a wastewater spill near Washington, D.C. The dengue response therefore has implications for both public health in affected communities and the agency’s capacity to manage several events at once.
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Why Mosquito Exposure Matters
Dengue is transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Adam Waickman, a dengue expert at SUNY Upstate Medical University, told MedPage Today that local dengue cases have occurred in Florida before, but this year’s numbers are significant. He attributed sustained transmission in part to the increased prevalence of mosquitoes capable of spreading the virus, especially Aedes aegypti. Aedes albopictus can also transmit dengue, though Waickman said Aedes aegypti is the more effective vector.
Waickman said Aedes aegypti’s range has extended as far north as Virginia, while Aedes albopictus reaches Pennsylvania. He also cautioned that routine spraying may not reach mosquitoes adapted to urban settings and living in and around homes. He advised using mosquito repellent, wearing long sleeves and covering exposed skin to reduce bites. These steps are preventive advice, not a guarantee against infection.
Dengue has four serotypes, and a second infection can carry an increased risk of severe disease. The report said no dengue vaccine is licensed in the United States. Sanofi Pasteur’s vaccine was associated with increased severe-disease risk in people never previously infected, while Takeda withdrew its U.S. biologics license application in 2023 after discussions with the FDA about aspects of data collection. The report also noted that antiviral drugs and monoclonal antibodies are being studied.
“Wearing mosquito repellent, wearing long sleeves, making sure you’re covering up to avoid mosquito bites, that’s the most effective thing you can do to avoid getting exposed.”
— Adam Waickman, dengue expert at SUNY Upstate Medical University, speaking to MedPage Today
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Outbreak’s Full Size Remains Unknown
The reported 745 cases are a count of reported infections, not a complete measure of everyone infected. The CDC’s statement that 47% of cases required hospitalization may point to under-reporting, and Waickman said many dengue infections are asymptomatic. The available material does not quantify how many infections may be missing from Florida’s case total.
The report also does not provide a detailed breakdown of cases by date, county, or exposure setting beyond noting that most locally acquired cases are concentrated around Tampa. It does not specify which Florida response activities the CDC will carry out, how long the Level 3 activation will remain in place, or what criteria would lead the agency to change its response level. The situation in the Marshall Islands is also described briefly, without case totals or a detailed account of conditions on Ebeye and Majuro.
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CDC Support and Local Prevention
The CDC is providing support in the Marshall Islands and has deployed an Epi-Aid team there, according to Braden’s email. The source report does not identify a timeline for that team’s work or announce a comparable deployment in Florida. Further case counts and public health guidance will help show whether transmission is continuing and how the agency and local authorities respond.
For residents and visitors in affected Florida communities, the immediate prevention steps cited by Waickman are to use mosquito repellent, wear long sleeves and cover exposed skin. The report provides no specific end date for the emergency response. The outbreak’s reported size, the extent of uncounted infections and the response’s next operational milestones remain subjects for further updates.
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Key Questions
What did the CDC announce?
The CDC activated a Level 3 emergency response for dengue outbreaks in Florida and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The agency described this as its eighth emergency response activation of the year.
How many dengue cases have been reported in Florida?
Florida has reported 745 cases this year, including 425 locally acquired infections, according to the source report. Most of the locally acquired cases are concentrated in the Tampa area.
What does locally acquired dengue mean?
It means the infection was contracted in the area where it was reported, rather than acquired during travel elsewhere. The CDC’s reported Florida count includes 425 locally acquired cases.
How can people reduce their risk of dengue?
Dengue is spread by mosquitoes. The expert quoted by MedPage Today recommended mosquito repellent, long sleeves and covering exposed skin to reduce bites. These measures lower exposure risk but do not guarantee protection.
Is a dengue vaccine licensed in the United States?
The source report says no dengue vaccine is licensed in the United States. It also notes that vaccine products and research have faced limitations, including safety concerns for some people and regulatory discussions.
Source: rss
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