MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade County now has 14 cases of confirmed dengue fever this year.
The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County issued a mosquito-borne illness alert Monday afternoon after two Miami-Dade residents came down with symptoms.
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The latest cases were locally acquired and are linked to a travel-related case previously reported, according to the DOH-Miami-Dade.
Dengue is spread through mosquito bites through the Aedes mosquitoes which also spread chikungunya and the Zika virus.
Though rarely fatal, those that develop symptoms recover in about a week.
Symptoms of dengue include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Eye pain
- Muscle, joint or bone pain
- Rash
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Unusual bleeding
Miami-Dade County residents should take precautions recommended by DOH-Miami-Dade.
- Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flower pots or any other containers where sprinkler or rainwater has collected.
- Discard old tires, drums, bottles, cans, pots and pans, broken appliances and other items that aren't being used.
- Empty and clean birdbaths and pet's water bowls at least once or twice a week
- Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that don't accumulate water.
- Maintain swimming pools in good condition and appropriately chlorinated. Empty plastic swimming pools when not in use.