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Pasco County dengue cases rise to 3 amid declared state of emergency

By FOX 13 News Staff
Pasco County
Published September 25, 2026 2:48 PM EDT
Published September 25, 2026 2:48 PM EDT
article

The Brief

    • Pasco County officials declared a local state of emergency after health officials confirmed three locally acquired dengue fever cases.
    • The emergency declaration gives county administrators expanded authority for seven days to waive everyday procedures and coordinate mosquito control efforts.
    • Medical experts warn that dengue causes severe joint and muscle pain, with critical warning signs typically appearing as fever subsides.

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. - Following a declared a state of emergency in Pasco County, health officials confirmed three locally contracted cases of dengue fever Friday.

Pasco County emergency response

What we know:

Pasco County issued a seven-day emergency declaration on Wednesday following two confirmed locally transmitted dengue fever cases reported by the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County. Since yesterday, that number has risen to three. 

The designation gives the county administrator and emergency management director immediate authority to waive everyday operational procedures to safeguard public safety while assisting local mosquito control crews.

Protecting home and family

What you can do:

Health officials strongly urge residents to protect themselves using "Drain and Cover" principles to eliminate mosquito breeding environments. Residents should dump out standing water, wear light-colored long-sleeved clothing with closed-toed shoes outside, and apply CDC-recommended insect repellents containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.

Symptoms and warning signs

What they're saying:

Medical professionals warn that dengue virus causes excruciating pain, earning it the moniker "break-bone fever". "The body aches are so intense that it's got this nickname as 'break-bone fever,'" said Dr. Kartik Cherabuddi, chief hospital epidemiology officer at Tampa General Hospital. "It's real, and I've seen patients — they hurt so bad, it's the predominant thing that’s bringing them into the emergency room".

Disease progression details

By the numbers:

Only about 25% of people bitten by an infected mosquito develop symptoms, meaning 75% remain asymptomatic. However, asymptomatic individuals can still pass the virus to other mosquitoes that bite them, which can then spread infection to other people.

High-risk groups and ER visits

Why you should care:

Roughly one in 20 symptomatic patients develops severe complications, with symptoms usually appearing two weeks after a mosquito bite. High-risk groups include infants, pregnant women, adults 65 and older, immunocompromised individuals, and anyone previously infected with dengue.

Cherabuddi warned that critical warning signs often emerge right when fever drops. "The next two days is when you can have more severe warning signs," Cherabuddi said. "If you have severe abdominal pain, persistently throwing up, bleeding from the gums or other sites, difficulty breathing — and critically, that’s when the fever starts to go down is when these could develop. That's when you absolutely have to go to the ER".

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Pasco Board of County Commissioners, who announced the emergency declaration, as well as Florida Department of Health data and statements from Tampa General Hospital.

Pasco County