How to protect yourself during Florida's ongoing dengue fever outbreak

The Sunshine State is in the middle of a dengue fever outbreak.Florida health officials recently reported more than 250 locally acquired dengue fever cases in 2026 so far, most of them in Hillsborough County, home to Tampa. According to the Journal of Emergency Medical Services, the outbreak "appears to be the largest in several decades in the continental United States."The outbreak has prompted a state of local emergency in Hillsborough County and its neighbors, with workers applying insecticide "day and night" to combat the mosquitoes that transmit the disease.If you're heading to Florida soon or planning a trip, here's what you should consider.What is dengue fever?ALEXANDR SPATARIDengue, pronounce DEHN-gay and nicknamed "breakbone fever" for the excruciating pain it can cause, is a viral infection spread by mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical climates.Most infected individuals experience mild or no symptoms and will recover on their own in a week or two, though they may feel fatigued for several weeks afterward. However, some patients develop severe dengue, which can be life-threatening and requires hospitalization. Individuals who have had dengue in the past are at a higher ...