Florida has recorded 392 dengue cases among residents so far in 2026, according to CDC data updated September 23. Hillsborough County leads the state with 177 cases, followed by Miami-Dade at 132. Closer to home, Pinellas and Lee counties each reported eight cases, while Sarasota and Manatee don’t appear in the CDC’s county breakdown because the agency omits locations with fewer than three cases. Nationwide, the CDC counts 2,008 dengue cases across 40 states and territories, with Puerto Rico at 916 and American Samoa at 437.
There’s an important caveat in those county numbers. They reflect where patients live, not where they were exposed, and they include all travel statuses. That means the data can’t tell us how many people actually contracted dengue from a mosquito here in Florida versus on a trip abroad. Health experts, including Dr. Jay Wolfson of USF Health, have pointed to that gap when discussing how to interpret the numbers.
Dengue spreads through mosquito bites, which makes prevention a backyard project as much as a public health one. Emptying standing water from plant saucers, birdbaths, buckets, and tarps, checking window screens, and using repellent at dawn and dusk all cut down the odds. If you develop a fever, body aches, or a rash, call your doctor and mention any recent travel. Have you done a mosquito check around your home this season?
