Spring Breakers Continue Bringing Dengue to Florida

As the third week of Spring Break 2023 begins, the Florida Health Department continues to confirm additional dengue fever cases.

During week #11, nine dengue cases were reported in persons with recent international travel.

In total, there have been 48 travel-associated dengue cases this year, mainly in the greater Miami, Florida, area.

Since Miami's beaches are highly ranked, many Spring Break visitors come from Central and South America, Mexico, and Caribbean countries, with 2.8 million dengue cases reported in 2022.

During 2022, the highest cumulative incidence of dengue cases was reported in Nicaragua, with 1,455 cases per 100,000 population, followed by Brazil and Belize.

To notify travelers of potential health risks, the U.S. CDC continues updating dengue outbreak alerts as of March 26, 2023.

While two dengue prevention vaccines are authorized in specific countries, their availability remains limited.