By Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix
Flooding, droughts and rising temperatures are helping mosquito-borne illnesses spread in places they haven’t before, leading to a rise in cases in Florida, a regional director for the World Health Organization said this month.
This year, countries have reported record-breaking numbers of dengue cases, said Jarbas Barbosa, director of the Pan America Health Organization (PAHO), in a virtual press conference.
“The geographical area susceptible to the transmission of dengue is expanding in countries such as Argentina and Uruguay and countries that are not usually affected, which includes the United States, where most cases have been imported by travelers,” Barbosa said. “However, there has been limited local transmission in Florida, Hawaii, Texas, Arizona and California.
“The rise in cases is directly associated with climate events such as droughts, floods and hotter climates that favor the proliferation of mosquito breeding grounds.” He also pointed to rapid population growth and poor urban development practices as factors helping mosquitos thrive.
Although Florida has reported a lower number of cases of dengue transmitted within the state — 74 in 2024 compared to 189 in 2023 — the number of travel-associated cases has increased by 44%, according to data from the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention.
Only Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have seen a higher spread of dengue locally this year, according to the CDC.
Oropouche, or sloth fever, is another virus that officials have taken note of in Florida, with the health department reporting 90 cases in people who have traveled to Cuba. Even though the virus hasn’t spread locally, scientists at the University of Florida are researching whether local mosquitos and no-see-ums can transmit the strain circulating in Cuba.
“We are all seeing a rise in Oropouche virus across the Americas. Oropouche is a vector-borne virus that has historically been confined to the Amazon Basin but, like dengue, it’s now been attacking new areas,” Barbosa said.
The CDC has reported only four other cases of Oropouche in the United States — in New York, Kentucky, Colorado and California. However, Brazil has seen the highest number of cases with 9,563 out of the 11,532 confirmed cases in the Americas, according to PAHO data.
“The Oropouche outbreak is one on a much smaller scale, it requires our attention, which is increasing its geographical spread,” the PAHO director said. “Two deaths have been reported in Brazil, and the possibility of mother-to-child transmission, including fetal deaths and congenital anomalies, are being investigated. Countries must strengthen their surveillance and continue to share information.”
To prevent both diseases, the PAHO officials recommended wearing loose clothing covering most of the body, using EPA-registered insect repellents, and getting rid of standing water where mosquitos can reproduce.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Banner image: Research is conducted on mosquitoes as part of entomological surveillance for mosquito-borne diseases (iStock image).
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