Fox Cases of the mosquito-borne illness Dengue Fever are popping up in Florida’s Tampa Bay region weeks after Hurricane Milton left standing water across the state.
Mosquitoes breed by laying eggs in or near standing water, and back-to-back hurricanes Milton and Helene left rivers flooded and standing water around west-central Florida.
Since Milton’s Oct. 9 landfall, the Hillsborough County Department of Health has confirmed four cases of locally acquired Dengue Fever. In response, Hillsborough County Public Works continues pumping floodwater out of communities, and the county Mosquito Management team is working to prevent the spread through aerial spraying.