Florida records 425 local dengue cases — The Hill

In the U.S. state of Florida, 425 local cases of dengue fever have been registered since the beginning of the year. The highest number of cases was recorded in Hillsborough County, while an increase in incidence has also been observed in Pinellas County in recent weeks.

As The Hill reports, 346 local dengue cases were registered in Hillsborough County and 51 in Pinellas County. Cases were also detected in Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco and Polk counties. Separately, the state reported 288 cases classified as international.

Outbreak in the Tampa area

Hillsborough County remains the main center of the infection’s spread both in the Tampa Bay area and across the state. At the same time, the number of cases registered there over the past week fell to 36, compared with 79 a week earlier.

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Gabriel Henderson, a representative of the Hillsborough County mosquito control service, said that the main concern regarding the spread of dengue remains in central Tampa. At the same time, isolated cases have begun to be recorded east of the city, toward Brandon.

Searching for mosquito breeding sites

University of South Florida professor Benjamin Jacob and his team are using artificial intelligence to search for breeding sites of mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus. The system combines satellite infrared imagery, weather data and known mosquito breeding sites to quickly identify potential hotspots.

After the analysis, specialists provide the obtained data to state services for further treatment of such sites. The Hillsborough County mosquito control service is also cooperating with the university in this work.