A St. Lucie County resident with no travel history has become the states and the country’s ninth locally acquired chikungunya case, according to the Florida Department of Health.

West Nile virus
Culex quinquefasciatus
Image/CDC

In 2014, a total of nine cases of locally acquired chikungunya fever have been reported. Two cases in Miami-Dade County, four in Palm Beach County and now three in St. Lucie County.

In addition, the number of travel associated chikungunya cases in Florida have increased by a dozen in the past week, bringing that total to 212.

Four human cases of West Nile virus were seen in Florida during the week of Sept. 7-13, according to Florida’s arbovirus surveillance branch. The cases were seen in  one each in Duval, Escambia, Leon and Volusia Counties. This has prompted these counties to issue Mosquito-borne Illness Advisories.

During the same period, one travel associated dengue fever case was reported, bringing that total to 52. There has been four locally acquired dengue fever cases reported in Miami-Dade County this year. That number remains unchanged. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page