The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today issued an alert to warn health providers and the public about an increased risk of dengue virus infections in the United States.

The warning comes against the backdrop of a record surge in the Americas region, where more than 9.7 million cases have already been reported this year—twice as many for all of 2023.

In March, Puerto Rico declared a public health emergency due to an early rise in activity, with nearly 1,500 cases reported so far. Also, the CDC has reported a higher-than-expected number of travel-related cases in US travelers this year, with 745 dengue infections so far.

Transmission is continuous in some US states and territories, and sporadic cases and outbreaks have occurred in a few states.

Sporadic cases in Florida

The Florida Department of Health has reported eight local cases this year from three different counties: Miami-Dade (6), Pasco (1), and Hillsboro (1), according to its latest arbovirus surveillance report. The most recent case was from Hillsboro County.

The CDC said higher temperatures can expand the range of mosquitoes that can spread dengue and noted that the US summer travel season often overlaps with months of increased dengue activity in many countries. It urged health providers to have a high index of suspicion in patients who have fever and a history of travel to dengue-affected countries. It also encouraged the public to avoid mosquito bites and control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors.

Also, the agency said it is providing more frequent updates to stakeholders and is expanding lab testing capacity.