Florida is dealing with its largest dengue fever outbreak in decades. Health officials have logged more than 250 locally acquired cases in 2026 so far, with the bulk concentrated in Hillsborough County — the county that includes Tampa. It's serious enough that a local state of emergency has been declared there and in neighbouring counties, and insecticide crews are spraying day and night to knock down the mosquito population. Trade publication Journal of Emergency Medical Services has described it as the biggest outbreak in the continental US in several decades.
So what exactly is dengue? It's a viral infection spread by mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions, nicknamed "breakbone fever" because of the severe joint and muscle pain it can cause. The good news: most people get mild symptoms or none at all and recover within a week or two, though fatigue can linger. The bad news: there's no cure and no widely available vaccine, and a small share of patients develop severe dengue, which can require hospitalisation. Anyone who has had dengue before faces a higher risk of the severe form. Globally the disease is expanding — warmer temperatures are lengthening mosquito seasons and pushing the virus into new territory, including parts of Europe. The WHO recorded a record 14.6 million cases and over 12,000 deaths in 2024.
For travellers, the advice isn't to cancel a Florida trip — it's to take mosquito protection seriously, especially around Tampa. Long sleeves and trousers help, and treating clothing with permethrin before you go is a smart move: once dry, it's odourless, non-greasy, survives several washes, and pairs well with standard insect repellent on exposed skin. Mosquitoes in Florida are active year-round thanks to the warm climate, so this applies in winter too.
It's also worth knowing the warning signs. Typical symptoms include high fever, severe headache or pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint aches, nausea, swollen glands and a rash, and most cases can be managed at home. But certain red-flag symptoms — severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums or nose, blood in vomit or stool, extreme thirst, cold pale skin or marked weakness — often appear after the fever drops and need immediate medical attention. One reassurance: dengue doesn't spread person to person, so there's no risk of passing it to your travel companions.
Who should care? Anyone with beach, theme park or Everglades plans in the Sunshine State this winter. The outbreak raises the odds of exposure in the Tampa area, but dengue remains a low-probability illness for a short-stay visitor who uses repellent and covers up. Pack the right kit, know the symptoms, and a Florida holiday can go ahead pretty much as planned — just with a bit more vigilance at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are hungriest. If you're travelling with children, elderly relatives or anyone with a previous dengue infection, it's worth being extra diligent and knowing where the nearest urgent care clinic is.
