The Florida Department of Health in Broward County (DOH-Broward) Friday issued a mosquito-borne illness advisory after confirming a locally acquired case of Chikungunya Fever, a disease spread by bites from infected mosquitoes. If a person is infected and bitten by a mosquito, that mosquito may later spread the infection by biting another person.
Image/David Benbennick
“Avoiding mosquito bites is the key to preventing infection with Chikungunya and other mosquito-borne diseases,“ said Paula Thaqi, MD, MPH, Director of the Florida Department of Health in Broward County. “We encourage everyone to take precautionary measures to help reduce the chance of being bitten. Remember to drain and cover.”
The other nine indigenous chikungunya cases have been reported from Palm Beach County (4), St. Lucie County (3) and Miami-Dade County (2).
Nationally, as of September 16, a total of 1,052 chikungunya virus disease cases (1,043 travel associated/9 locally acquired) have been reported to ArboNET from 44 U.S. states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms of mosquito-borne illness may include: headache, fever, fatigue, dizziness, light sensitivity and confusion. Symptoms may vary according to the age of the patient. Infants and young children may have a fever with rash. Older children and adults may have either a mild fever or a more severe case of the disease with sudden onset and high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, and rash. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
