# 8819
Although details are scant at this time, and a press conference is promised for 1:30 this afternoon, local media in Miami Florida (and now the local health department) are reporting the first locally acquired case of Dengue in Florida for 2014. First the report, from the local NBC News affiliate, followed by a link to the health department announcment:
Miami-Dade Dengue Fever Case is 1st of 2014
Wednesday, Jul 9, 2014 | Updated 12:11 PM EDT The first locally acquired case of Dengue Fever in Miami-Dade in 2014 has been confirmed, state health officials said Wednesday.
The patient was diagnosed based on symptoms and confirmed by laboratory tests and has fully recovered from the illness, the Florida Department of Health said in a statement.
More details on the case will be given at an afternoon news conference.
Press Releases
July 9, 2014
First Locally Acquired Case of Dengue Fever in Miami-Dade County in 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
First Locally Acquired Case of Dengue Fever in Miami-Dade County in 2014
(Miami, July 9, 2014) – Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County officials received confirmation of the first locally acquired case of Dengue Fever in Miami-Dade County in 2014.
The individual was diagnosed with Dengue Fever based on symptoms and confirmed by laboratory tests. The individual has fully recovered from this illness.
The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County will hold media availability (information as follows).
Who: Lillian Rivera, RN, MSN, PhD
Administrator
Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County
Edhelene (Gigi) Rico, MPH
Epidemiologist
Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County
Chalmers Vasquez
Mosquito Control Operations Manager
Miami-Dade County Public Works and Waste Management Department
Date: Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Up until 2009, Florida had kept dengue at bay for 6 decades. But one (or likely, more than one) infected international travelers arrived in Key West, and the virus seeded into the local mosquito population (see MMWR: Dengue Fever In Key West).
Since then, we’ve seen sporadic locally acquired dengue cases in south Florida(see Florida: Dengue Forces Suspension Of Blood Donations In Two Counties), likely due to repeated `reseeding’ of the virus among local mosquito populations.
In 2013, Florida recorded 120 imported cases of Dengue (plus 23 locally acquired cases).
So far, in 2014, Florida has reported 24 imported cases of Dengue (see the most recent arbovirus surveillance report).
