WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Florida health officials recently confirmed that dengue fever caused the death of a Tampa woman earlier this month, making it the first recorded death from dengue in the state in nearly 100 years.
The Florida Department of Health did not disclose further details about the case. However, the Tampa Bay Times reported that the 80-year-old woman was bitten by a mosquito near her home on Bayshore Boulevard.
Her family said they believe she may have had dengue years ago while traveling outside the US without knowing it. People who have had dengue before are at a higher risk of developing severe illness if they become infected again.
The woman developed a tremor, slurred speech and small broken blood vessels around her ankles. Her daughter took her to an urgent care center, where doctors sent her to the hospital. She was later diagnosed with dengue fever.
Her condition continued to worsen. She developed jaundice, multiple organ failure and septic shock before dying on September 4.
The woman was one of at least 134 people who caught dengue locally this summer in Hillsborough County. The county accounts for about 90% of the locally acquired cases reported across Florida.
According to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida has reported at least 332 dengue cases this year, the highest number among US states. Florida Department of Health data show that at least 152 of these cases were acquired locally.
Health officials have urged people to take extra precautions against mosquitoes. These include using EPA-registered mosquito repellents, wearing loose-fitting clothing that covers the skin when outdoors and removing standing water around homes, where mosquitoes can breed.
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