Miami-Dade under mosquito-borne illness advisory after dengue detected
MIAMI – Miami-Dade County is under a mosquito-borne illness advisory following the confirmation of an identified case of dengue in a Miami-Dade resident.
Officials said it is the first local case of dengue infection in 2022.
Dengue is a virus spread through mosquito bites by Aedes mosquitoes which also spread the chikungunya and Zika virus. Most people infected with dengue have mild or no symptoms. Those that do develop symptoms typically recover after about one week.
Dr. Isik Unlu, the Operations Manager for Miami-Dade Mosquito Control, said crews sprayed in the area where the Dengue patient lives. For patient privacy reasons, she was not able to say there that happened.
Unlu told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "It's very important that people work with our inspectors to mitigate habitats for mosquitos like old tires and bird baths. My concern is that we do everything to stop this and we are hoping this is the first, the only and the last case in the county. We do not see the need to increase spraying throughout the county."
While there are no reported cases in Broward, Mosquito Control is stepping up spraying as a precaution along the I-95 corridor and along the Broward and Miami-Dade line.
Dr. Joshua Lenchus, the Interim Chief Medical Officer art Broward health, told CBS4 that "this highlights the need to take precautions. We go through this with Dengue every year and this time of year with the summer and the rains. I think the concerns are that we do everything we can to protect ourselves with EPA-approved insect repellents and wear long-sleeve shirts and do everything we can and do everything we can to stay away from standing water and having that in our home and reinforcing our homes to keep mosquitos from getting inside. The fact is that one in four people infected with Dengue will develop symptoms that are often mild and last from a number of days to a week."
Dr. Lenchus also applauded Broward Mosquito Control for stepping up spraying, saying, "Anytime that you can do source control that can be very efficient."
Officials recommend doing the following to stop mosquitoes from multiplying and to protect your skin by remembering to "Drain and Cover."
DRAIN standing water -
· Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flowerpots 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.
COVER skin -
· Clothing - Wear shoes, socks, and long pants and long-sleeves. This type of protection may be necessary for people who work in areas where mosquitoes are present.
· Repellent - Apply mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing, but not under clothing.
· Always read label directions carefully for the approved usage before you apply a repellent - Some repellents are not suitable for children.
· Always use repellents according to the label. Repellents with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, and IR3535 are effective.
Symptoms
The common symptoms of dengue are fever and one or more of the following symptoms: headache; eye pain (typically behind the eyes); muscle, joint, or bone pain; rash; nausea and vomiting; or unusual bleeding (nose or gum bleed, small red spots under the skin, or unusual bruising). Severe dengue can occur resulting in shock, internal bleeding, and death. If you or a family member develop the mentioned symptoms, visit your health care provider or local clinic.
