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The Florida Department of Health (FDH) updated its Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Arbovirus Surveillance update #37, which revealed that both travel-related and locally acquired mosquito-transmitted diseases continue to be reported this year.
On September 13, 2025, FDH highlighted cases of Chikungunya, Dengue, and Malaria.
Chikungunya - eleven travel-related cases of chikungunya have been confirmed this year in Broward (4), Collier, Lake, Miami-Dade (2), Palm Beach, and Seminole (2). Countries of origin were: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil (2), Cuba (2), India (2), Indonesia, and Sri Lanka (2).
Dengue Fever - In 2025, 198 cases of dengue fever were reported among individuals who had traveled internationally, with over 119 cases related to travelers from Cuba, and 13 from Puerto Rico. Additionally, 24 locally acquired dengue cases were reported in Hillsborough, Miami-Dade (3), Pasco (1), and Brevard (27) counties in 2025.
Malaria - 37 travel-related malaria cases have been confirmed in Florida, 13 related to travel to Nigeria.
As of September 2025, from a local disease risk perspective, Alachua, Bay, Clay, Duval, Hillsborough, Lafayette, Leon, Pasco, and Pinellas counties are under a mosquito-borne illness advisory.
Brevard, Escambia, and Miami-Dade Counties remain under a mosquito-borne illness alert scheduled to expire in December 2025.
Currently, the U.S. CDC and the UK have not issued travel advisories focused on visiting Florida in 2025.
Now in its third decade of serving travelers in Central Texas, Austin–Bergstrom International Airport welcomed over two million visitors last month, many of whom arrived from overseas.
Unfortunately, this year, eight visitors to Travis County, and Austin, Texas, contracted the Dengue virus while traveling abroad.
Last year, Travis County reported 18 travel-related cases of Dengue, the most in Texas.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services' (DSHS) arbovirus weekly report #36, there have been 31 travel-related Dengue cases reported in Texas this year.
This news is relatively positive compared to 2024, when 143 imported Dengue cases and one related fatality occurred across 23 Texas counties.
Texas is not alone in reporting fewer Dengue cases in 2025.
Throughout the United States, 3,045 cases of mosquito-transmitted Dengue have been confirmed this year.
In 2024, 53 U.S. jurisdictions reported 9,391 Dengue cases.
Only a few states, such as Florida, reported locally acquired Dengue cases last year.
And in the Region of the Americas, as of epidemiological week 34, a total of 3,740,133 suspected cases of Dengue were reported in 2025. This data represents a 68% decrease compared to the same period in 2024.
To enhance disease detection, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised clinicians in July 2025 to consider Dengue in patients with fever who live in or have recently traveled to areas with a risk of Dengue.
Furthermore, to alert international travelers to this health risk, the CDC reissued a Global Travel Health Notice on August 21, 2025, regarding Dengue outbreaks in the Americas, Africa/Middle East, and Asia/Pacific regions, in countries such as India, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Myanmar.
From a disease prevention perspective, the CDC says mitigating mosquito bites is the best option, as access to Dengue vaccines in the USA is currently limited to children in Puerto Rico.
The Florida Department of Health (FDH) recently updated its Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Surveillance Report for 2025, revealing that both travel-related and locally transmitted diseases have been detected in various Florida counties.
Since late July 2025, the Florida Department of Health in Brevard County (DOH-Brevard) has informed residents of locally acquired dengue fever, transmitted to people by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito.
As of September 6, nineteen cases have been confirmed in various cities, such as Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, and Melbourne.
DOH-Brevard says dengue can present as a flu-like illness, characterized by severe muscle aches and joint pain, fever, and sometimes a rash. Usually, there are no respiratory symptoms.
The positive news is that dengue fever is not contagious.
Statewide, FDH also confirmed last week travel-related chikungunya cases (3), dengue (189), and malaria cases (28), primarily in the Miami-Dade County area.
Additionally, three West Nile virus cases in people have been confirmed in Florida this year.
From a disease prevention perspective, chikungunya has the only U.S. FDA-approved vaccine available in the USA. Travel clinics and pharmacies commercially offer chikungunya vaccination services in 2025.
After consuming Louisiana-harvested oysters contaminated with the flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, a sixth person has died along the Gulf of America.
The recently deceased were served the oysters at separate restaurants in Louisiana and Florida.
On February 23, 2025, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) stated that all Louisiana oysters harvested outside of Area 3, as well as all other Louisiana seafood statewide, are safe for human consumption. While cooking kills the virus, outbreaks have occurred from eating undercooked oysters harvested from contaminated waters.
During 2025, the LDH reported cases from Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and North Carolina.
As of August 28, 2025, the Florida Department of Health (FDH) reported 23 cases and five related deaths in various counties this year.
In 2024, FDH reported 82 cases and nineteen related deaths. Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota Counties experience an unusual increase due to the impacts of Hurricane Helene.
Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium that usually lives in warm seawater and is part of a group of vibrios that are called "halophilic" because they require salt, says FDH. Oysters are filter feeders and can accumulate contaminants and microorganisms present in the water.
The U.S. CDC defines coastal waters as including both saltwater and brackish water. Brackish water is a mixture of saltwater and freshwater. It is often found where rivers meet the ocean.
Vibrio wound infections are treated with antibiotics and surgery to remove dead or infected tissue, according to the CDC.
In late June 2025, the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County announced a locally acquired case of dengue fever, prompting health officials to be vigilant for potential spread of the virus by mosquitoes in the greater Tampa area.
On August 27, 2025, the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County informed residents of a confirmed human case of locally acquired dengue. This area is located on Florida's west coast, adjacent to Tampa, and west of Orlando.
In response to this finding, surveillance and prevention efforts were conducted by conducting aerial spraying to help reduce the mosquito population.
According to state officials, there have now been 16 cases in 2025, with Florida's east coast counties of Brevard (11) and Miami-Dade (3) leading the way.
Additionally, the Florida Department of Health published its Arbovirus Surveillance update #34 on August 23, 2025, reporting a total of 171 travel-associated dengue cases this year. Most of the cases (99) are related to people who traveled to Cuba.
As of August 30, 2025, only Puerto Rico offers dengue vaccinations in the United States. Outside the U.S., various countries provide a second-generation dengue vaccine that is generally effective against two of the four dengue virus types.
The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County (DOH Hillsborough) recently informed residents of a confirmed human case of locally-acquired dengue fever.
According to data published by the state (Week 33) on August 19, 2025, this is the 14th local dengue case reported in 2025. Previous dengue cases have been confirmed in the east coast near Melbourne (11) and Miami (2).
DOH-Hillsborough and Hillsborough County Mosquito Control stated in a media release that they are coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts by conducting aerial spraying to reduce the spread of this mosquito-transmitted virus to other people.
This area of Florida includes cities such as Tampa and has a local population of over 1.4 million.
Additionally, Florida has reported 154 dengue cases among international travelers, many of whom had recently visited Cuba.
As of August 20, 2025, dengue vaccines are not offered in Florida.
