Hillsborough County has emerged as the leader in locally acquired dengue cases within Florida, accounting for 95 out of the state’s total 111 reported cases. The county recently experienced a significant surge with 36 new cases identified in just one week, prompting emergency response efforts from local mosquito management services. Eric Long, operations superintendent for Hillsborough County Mosquito Management Services, noted that officials have not witnessed such activity before but remain fully committed to protecting residents through extended work hours and weekend deployments. In response to the crisis, Pasco County Mosquito Control District deployed its helicopter, spray equipment, and personnel to assist Hillsborough County at the request of Florida Department of Health officials. Adriane Rogers from PCMCD emphasized that mosquito-borne diseases do not respect county boundaries, as thousands of residents travel daily throughout the Tampa Bay region, potentially carrying the disease between communities. The regional cooperation involves coordinated treatment efforts where Pasco’s orange helicopters drop liquid larvicide to eliminate mosquito larvae in containers, while Hillsborough teams target adult mosquito populations during early morning hours from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Officials stress that continuous vigilance and cross-county collaboration are essential since infected individuals can travel anywhere before returning home and transmitting the disease through subsequent bites. Residents are advised to wear light-colored clothing with covered ankles and wrists, dump standing water from their yards, and generally protect themselves from these “ankle biter” mosquitoes during the ongoing outbreak.
Key Points:
- Hillsborough County accounts for 95 of Florida’s 111 total locally acquired dengue cases.
- Hillsborough County saw a jump of 36 new dengue cases in just one week according to the latest data from the Florida Department of Health.
- Pasco County Mosquito Control District deployed its helicopter, spray equipment, and personnel to Hillsborough County for assistance at the request of the Florida Department of Health.
- Pasco’s aircraft are equipped to drop a liquid larvicide designed to kill mosquito larvae in containers.
- Hillsborough County teams target adult mosquito populations during early morning hours from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m.
