Key Takeaway:
- Three Tampa Bay counties declared local emergencies over the spread of dengue fever.
- Hillsborough has reported the most cases, with 134, compared with seven in Pinellas and two in Pasco.
- Officials are expanding mosquito control and urging residents to remove standing water and prevent mosquito bites.
Tampa Bay Dengue Cases continue to rise as Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties declared local emergencies Thursday, giving officials added authority to accelerate mosquito control and protect residents.
Counties Expand Emergency Response
Hillsborough County Administrator Bonnie Wise signed an emergency order Thursday that took effect immediately and will remain in effect for seven days unless rescinded or extended. The declaration allows county officials and emergency managers to take certain expedited actions and provides a path for federal reimbursement of eligible expenses.
Pinellas County commissioners also declared a state of local emergency Thursday. The order gives County Administrator Barry A. Burton authority to approve mosquito-control expenditures quickly and allows for reimbursement if state funding becomes available.
Pasco County issued its declaration Wednesday, with officials announcing the action Thursday. The order is set to remain in effect for seven days unless the county administrator determines it is no longer necessary and rescinds it earlier.
Trang Chitakone, administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County, said residents should not be alarmed but should help prevent additional infections.
“There is really no reason to be alarmed at this point,” Chitakone said. “Our numbers in Pasco are low right now, but we want to keep it that way.”
Hillsborough Leads Regional Case Count
Tampa Bay Dengue Cases have continued to increase, with the latest county information available Thursday listing 134 confirmed cases in Hillsborough, seven in Pinellas and two in Pasco, according to Pinellas County’s emergency resolution.
Pinellas County said the three-county region had 143 confirmed cases in its Sept. 24 resolution. A separate county news release said the Florida Department of Health’s latest report listed seven confirmed cases in Pinellas.
Hillsborough County has also reported a dengue-related death during the current outbreak. County officials have expanded mosquito-control operations as the number of locally acquired infections has increased.
Adriene Rogers, executive director of the Pasco County Mosquito Control District, said the response must extend across county boundaries.
“It’s bigger than any one mosquito control district, and it’s bigger than any one county,” Rogers said.
Officials Urge Residents To Limit Mosquito Exposure
Mosquito-control agencies in the three counties are increasing surveillance and treatment activities, including localized ground work and aerial or truck-based treatments in some areas. Hillsborough County is also allowing residents to sign up for notifications about localized aerial treatments.
Officials are urging residents to remove standing water around homes and businesses, cover exposed skin, and use an insect repellent registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency according to its label.
Residents are also advised to keep doors and windows screened and in good repair and to remain alert to mosquito bites during the day and night. Dengue is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, and reducing mosquito breeding sites can help limit transmission.
Pasco mosquito-control officials said the regional response will continue as counties monitor cases and mosquito activity.
“We have been watching. We have been communicating with our partners, spreading awareness about the risk to our community,” Rogers said.
