Local Dengue Outbreak Centered on Cape Canaveral

While many public health leaders say the dengue virus has become endemic in Miami-Dade County, a county located 180 miles north along the east coast of Florida, near Cape Canaveral, may also be added to this discussion.

As of the end of August 2025, the Florida Department of Health in Brevard County (DOH-Brevard) reported 14 cases of locally acquired dengue in Brevard County residents.

According to a recent newsletter published by Jonathan Day, an emeritus professor and entomologist with the University of Florida. "A DENV-3 positive mosquito pool of Aedes aegypti was collected in Brevard County in July, and likely this is the primary dengue vector in the county."

"Brevard County is a long, narrow county that supports many different ecosystems and habitats, but the current focus of mosquito-borne disease transmission in the county remains puzzling."

Furthermore, to notify the community of this serious health risk, the DOH-Brevard has issued a Mosquito-Borne Illness Alert, scheduled to expire on September 12, 2025.

Two other areas in the United States have recently reported an extensive number of locally acquired dengue cases in 2025.

As of September 4, 2024, the U.S. CDC reported Puerto Rico (2,349) and the U.S. Virgin Islands (47) have confirmed dengue outbreaks this year.

While the CDC has not issued Travel Health Advisories for these dengue outbreaks, countries such as the United Kingdom have identified this mosquito-transmitted virus as a health risk in the USA.

From a disease prevention perspective, only Puerto Rico offers the first-generation dengue vaccine to children in 2025. Several other countries have developed a second-generation dengue vaccine.