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Dengue Fever in Key West

For information on the dengue fever, please visit the Dengue page.

The number of dengue cases in Florida travelers returning from the Caribbean, Central and South America is higher than normal. If you are traveling to a tropical or sub-tropical area, you can protect yourself from dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases by following the suggestions on our Prevention page, including using insect repellent. You can get more information about Traveler's Health at http://www.cdc.gov/dengue/travelOutbreaks/index.html.

To see how many cases have been reported in Florida, see our weekly surveillance report at http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Environment/medicine/arboviral/surveillance.htm.

Image of a Aedes aegypti mosquito After identifying multiple cases of dengue fever acquired in Key West in 2009, the Monroe County Health Department, Florida Department of Health, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated on an investigation in order to determine the extent of the outbreak and identify risk factors for infection in Key West residents. Team members interviewed and collected blood samples from 240 residents in Old Town, Key West.

Based on the investigation, it was determined that the outbreak was evident at least during the first part of July, and that a total 22 persons were identified with dengue fever in Key West during the summer and fall of 2009. In 2010, 66 cases of locally acquired dengue associated with Key West were reported in Florida with onset dates ranging from March 17 to November 30, 2010. Of the Key West cases, 55 were Key West residents. One non Key West resident was from Monroe County who had spent time in Key West. Eight cases were residents of other Florida counties, and two were from other states. Onset dates ranged from March to November, 2010. All became infected locally and have fully recovered. After November 2010, no new cases were reported in Key West.

Residents of Key West are encouraged to continue to take measures to avoid mosquito-borne diseases by removing breeding grounds for mosquitoes and using repellents or other measures to avoid mosquito bites. For more information, contact the Monroe County Health Department at (305) 809-5653.

For an up to date count of the identified cases from Key West, please see the Florida mosquito-borne disease weekly report at: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Environment/medicine/arboviral/Weekly-Summary.html.

Press release on education campaign (10 KB PDF)

Press release on 2010 case (18 KB PDF)

Press release on survey results (26 KB PDF)

Press release on identification of dengue fever in Key West (14 KB PDF)

Public Information on Dengue

Centers for Disease Control (CDC): http://www.cdc.gov/dengue

Dengue brochure from CDC: English Spanish (160 KB PDF)

How to prevent the spread of the mosquito that causes dengue (English and Spanish) (282 KB PDF)

World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/topics/dengue/en/

Information for Physicians and Healthcare Providers

Information for dengue patients (English and Spanish) (269 KB PDF)

Dengue information for healthcare practitioners (1143 KB PDF)