The number of dengue fever cases, a mosquito-borne disease that can
cause mild to serious symptoms and even death, has increased this month,
according to the Florida Department of Health.

While dengue fever has not caused any deaths in Florida this year,
health officials asked residents to take precautions such as wearing
protective clothing, using mosquito repellents and draining still water
near the home, like  the water in bird baths, to prevent the pests from
breeding.

Dengue fever is common in the tropics and can cause symptoms like high
fever, rash, severe bleeding and even death. The recent outbreak in
Florida has puzzled local health authorities, who say the last outbreak
occurred in 1934.

Officials said that 29 locally acquired cases of dengue fever have been
reported through mid-August. The state officials also detected 67
"imported" cases of dengue fever, which means it involved people who had
traveled to areas under a dengue endemic, such as the Caribbean or
Central and South America.

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Dr. Carina Blackmore, the department of health's state public health
veterinarian, said officials need more data to answer questions about
why the outbreak is occurring now.

"We do know that we used to have dengue in Florida," she said in a press
briefing Tuesday. "Why we're currently experiencing an outbreak, I can't
answer that question."

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Meanwhile, Florida authorities are also tracking two other
mosquito-transmitted viruses:  West Nile and Eastern equine encephalitis.

There have been four deaths in Florida caused by EEE, one of the most
severe mosquito-transmitted diseases, which can cause headaches, fevers,
chills and could progress into seizures or coma. It has a 33 percent
mortality rate for victims, according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. It's an average year for EEE in Florida in comparison
with previous years.

West Nile virus usually peaks in August and September. Florida officials
confirmed one human case last week, Blackmore said. The activity of West
Nile virus, in comparison to previous summers is slow, she added.

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