Pasco County declares local state of emergency as dengue fever cases rise

ODESSA, Fla. - Pasco County leaders declared a local state of emergency to combat dengue fever and is encouraging surrounding counties to do the same as rising mosquito-borne infections and a confirmed death impact the Tampa Bay region.

"It’s truly going to take everybody in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough to manage the threat of dengue throughout the region," stated Seth Weightman, vice chair of the Pasco County Commission. 

Pasco dengue emergency

The backstory:

The Pasco Board of County Commissioners issued a local state of emergency in response to dengue fever spreading through the community. The declaration lasts for seven days unless rescinded earlier, giving the county administrator and emergency management director authority to waive everyday procedures to protect public safety. 

Michael Cox, Commissioner of the Pasco County Mosquito Control District, equates dengue fever to being in the cone of uncertainty before a hurricane hits. 

"We know there is a pending storm coming toward us, but we don’t know exactly where it’s going to hit. We are encouraged to get ready, to prepare ourselves for an impending event coming toward us and that is what we are doing here today," explained Cox.

Pasco County is currently aiding the Pasco County Mosquito Control District and the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County. Officials strongly advise residents to follow "Drain and Cover" principles to reduce mosquito breeding areas.

Tampa hospital cases

By the numbers:

Data from Florida health officials shows Hillsborough County has recorded more than 130 dengue cases, representing 88% of the state's total infections. From Sept. 6-12 alone, the county logged 39 new cases. Nearby Pinellas County has reported seven total cases, while Pasco County has two confirmed cases and is investigating several other cases. Doctors at Tampa General Hospital estimate they have treated more than 100 dengue patients.

Medical warning signs

What they're saying:

Medical professionals warn that the infection causes severe pain, often called "break-bone fever". "The body aches are so intense that it's got this nickname as 'break-bone fever,'" said Dr. Kartik Cherabuddi, chief hospital epidemiology officer at Tampa General Hospital. "It's real, and I've seen patients — they hurt so bad, it's the predominant thing that’s bringing them into the emergency room".

Cherabuddi noted that about one in four infected people develop illness, with roughly one in 20 symptomatic patients developing severe disease. Common symptoms include severe joint, bone, and muscle pain, nausea, and pain behind the eyes.

"It's the time the fever breaks. The next two days is when you can have more severe warning signs," Cherabuddi added. "If you have severe abdominal pain, persistently throwing up, bleeding from the gums or other sites, difficulty breathing — and critically, that’s when the fever starts to go down is when these could develop. That's when you absolutely have to go to the ER".

Symptoms begin two weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito. 

However, health experts say 25% of people who are bitten by an infected mosquito show symptoms, so 75% are asymptomatic. 

If an individual is asymptomatic and is bitten by a mosquito, health officials say that mosquito can then infect others. 

Those at high risk of getting dengue fever include those who may have had dengue and not known about it, infants, pregnant women, anyone 65 and older and those who are immune compromised. 

Pasco County