#19,382
Later today (Thursday, Oct 22nd) the CDC will hold a COCA Call for clinicians and other healthcare professionals on this year's record breaking spread of Dengue in Florida (see chart above).
Carried and spread by mosquitoes, Dengue fever first returned to Florida in 2009 after an absence of nearly 70 years (see 2010 MMWR report Locally Acquired Dengue --- Key West, Florida, 2009--2010).
The virus was likely imported by someone with recent travel to a dengue endemic region who served as a blood meal for a local mosquito, which then began spreading the virus to others.
Initially, more than 2 dozen Dengue patients were identified in and around Key West in the fall of 2009, although a year later, the CDC would report far more people were exposed (see CDC Press Release Report Suggests Nearly 5 Percent Exposed to Dengue Virus in Key West).
This year, the Florida Department of Health has recorded nearly 300 imported cases (see chart below), with the vast majority linked to Cuba.
Accordingly, the CDC will hold a COCA (Clinician Outreach & Communication Activity) call this afternoon. While these presentations are often technical and are of greatest interest to clinicians and healthcare providers, they are usually archived within a few days, and made available to the general public.
What Clinicians Need to Know about Dengue in the United States
For Health Care Providers
Oct. 22, 2026, visit link for details.
At a glance
During this COCA Call, presenters will discuss current dengue epidemiology in the United States and review dengue clinical features, current diagnostic testing recommendations, and clinical management guidelines.
Overview
Dengue virus is endemic in several U.S. territories and freely associated states and has caused increasing numbers of travel-associated and locally acquired dengue cases in U.S. states in recent years. No preventative medicines or specific antiviral treatments are available for dengue. Severe dengue is a medical emergency—recognition of warning signs and appropriate clinical management are critical for reducing severe outcomes. During this COCA Call, presenters will discuss current dengue epidemiology in the United States and review dengue clinical features, current diagnostic testing recommendations, and clinical management guidelines.
Webinar
Call Details
Date & Time: Thursday, October 22, 2026 - 2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
A few minutes before the webinar begins, please click this link to join.
Presenters
Laura Adams, DVM, MPH, DACVPM
Epidemiologist
Dengue Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Liliana Sánchez-González, MD, MPH, CTropMed
Medical Epidemiologist
Dengue Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Call Objectives
COCA Call Objectives
At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to accomplish the following:
- Cite background information on the topic covered during the presentation.
- Identify CDC's role in the topic covered during the presentation.
- Describe the topic's implications for clinicians.
- Identify concerns and issues related to preparedness for and response to urgent public health threats.
- Identify how an interprofessional team of healthcare providers can work with patients to promote disease prevention.
Activity-specific Objectives
At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to accomplish the following:
- Summarize dengue epidemiology and transmission in the United States.
- List the clinical features of dengue.
- Explain dengue diagnostic testing for patients with suspected dengue.
- Describe appropriate treatment for dengue patients according to severity classification.