Sacramento (United States): Health authorities across California, Florida, and Texas are seeing a sharp rise in dengue fever cases, with health experts warning that the mosquito-borne disease may be becoming a permanent part of life in some U.S. communities, according to KFF Health News.
Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that around 3,700 dengue infections were reported in the contiguous United States in 2024. This marks a significant increase from approximately 2,050 cases in 2023.
Among these, 105 cases were acquired locally in California, Florida, or Texas meaning the individuals contracted the disease within the U.S. rather than through international travel. Local transmission is a key indicator of the disease's growing presence in the country.
California saw the steepest increase in cases. In 2024, the state recorded 725 new dengue cases, including 18 locally acquired infections, based on state health department data cited by Xinhua news agency. This is a nearly threefold increase compared to 2023, when California had around 250 cases, including just two local transmissions.
Dengue is spread by bites from infected Aedes mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These mosquito species have significantly expanded their range in the U.S. over the past two decades. In California, they are now present in 25 counties and over 400 cities and unincorporated areas, especially in Southern California and the Central Valley. Just 25 years ago, they were not known to exist in the state.
Michael Ben-Aderet, associate medical director of hospital epidemiology at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, said, “I think dengue is the new normal in the United States,” adding that the mosquito population is likely to persist.
He noted that climate change plays a major role in the expansion of these mosquitoes, which thrive in warm urban environments and often bite during the daytime.
In March, the CDC issued a health alert, warning about the ongoing risk of dengue infections and advising healthcare providers to be aware of the signs and symptoms, especially in areas where local transmission has been reported.
Health officials continue to monitor the situation, as the rising number of local infections suggests dengue may become a long-term public health concern in parts of the United States.
(With inputs from IANS)