CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health in Citrus County reported Monday two confirmed cases of locally acquired dengue fever.
DOH-Citrus and Citrus County Mosquito Control are coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts.
Dengue can present as a flu-like illness with severe muscle aches and joint pain, fever, and sometimes a rash. Usually, there are no respiratory symptoms.
Symptoms of dengue will appear within 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Dengue fever is not contagious, but is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito.
DOH-Citrus reminds residents of ways to avoid mosquito bites. They include:
- Wear protective clothing to prevent mosquito bites. Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants.
- Apply insect repellents that are registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to exposed skin and clothing. When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
- Control mosquitoes inside and outside. Repair damaged screening on windows, doors, porches, and patios. Drain water from garbage cans, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flowerpots, or any other containers where sprinkler or rainwater has collected.
