FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A mosquito-borne illness advisory was issued for Broward County on Friday after a locally-acquired case of dengue was confirmed.
According to county officials, "there is a heightened concern of additional residents becoming ill."
Spread through the female Aedes aegypti mosquito -- the same one known for spreading the Zika virus -- the mosquitoes are now a concern for their potential to infect South Floridians with dengue.
Miami-Dade also confirmed its fourth case of the year, although none of the county's cases appear to be connected.
The fever illness is often mistaken for the flu. Symptoms include fever, severe headache, eye pain, muscle and joint pain.
Officials from the Florida Department of Health are advising Floridians to drain and cover.
That means draining any standing water around homes, covering exposed skin, using a mosquito repellent and making sure doors and windows have screens that mosquitoes can't get through.
"Even though the mosquito control actions that are performed here are very effective, there are always opportunities for mosquitoes to bite and transmit," Mejia Echeverry said.
For more information on how to request mosquito spray service in Broward, visit this local government page.
Here is a list of tips on how to prevent mosquito bites:
- Wear shoes and socks.
- Wear long pants and long sleeves.
- Use repellents with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol and/or IR3535.
- Apply mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing, but not under clothing.
- Use mosquito netting to protect children younger than 2 months old.
- Use age-appropriate repellent. Do not use repellents with oil of lemon eucalyptus on children under the age of 3 years. DEET is not recommended for babies under 2 months old.
- Do not apply repellent on children's hands.