The Florida Department of Health in Collier County is advising residents there has been an increase in mosquito-borne disease in the areas of Collier County.

The health department said there is a locally-acquired case of dengue fever. The mosquito-borne illness is found in the subtropics.

“There is a heightened concern additional residents will become ill,” the health department said.

DOH-Collier reminds residents and visitors to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and to take basic precautions to help limit exposure.

With proper treatment, dengue fever will not kill you but the virus will make you feel sick for a while.

Symptoms include a severe headache occurring behind the eyes, a rash, a fever, and muscle and joint aches.

“Collier County has not recorded a locally acquired case of dengue fever in over 20 years,” said Kristine Hollingsworth, public information officer with the Florida Department of Health in Collier County. “Symptoms of dengue fever include a severe headache, occurring behind the eyes, a rash, as well as muscle and joint aches, and a sudden onset of a very high fever.”

Hollingsworth said it’s a locally acquired case.

“So that means the mosquito was here in Southwest Florida, and it bit the person here and they do reside in Collier County,” Hollingsworth said.

There are two species of mosquito that can transmit dengue fever and they are both nonnative species.

Dr. Joyce Fassbender is an entomologist at FGCU.

“These are more than mosquitoes that you’ll find in just your average neighborhood because they can survive and smaller amounts of water that can reproduce in smaller amounts of water. And they also really, are people feeding. They feed on humans more than they feed on other animals,” Fassbender said.

The Collier Mosquito Control District said they are working on setting up more traps while also bringing in more mosquitos for testing.

The Collier Mosquito Control District said they will begin treatments on Thursday night. The mosquito that transmits dengue fever lives in urban, highly populated environments because it prefers to feed on humans, the district said in a press release.

“It is a day-time biter and breeds in containers holding water around homes and businesses, including buckets, trash cans, potting trays, and garbage. Residents are encouraged to empty any containers holding water daily,” the district said.

There is no vaccine for dengue fever and it cannot spread among people through sneezing, coughing or touch.

However, in some cases, it can be fatal.

“A mosquito picks up dengue fever in its salivary glands when biting a person infected with the virus,” says District Executive Director Patrick Linn. “The mosquito then passes the virus to each human she bites. We test area mosquitoes for disease in our laboratory weekly, and currently none have tested positive for any mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue.”

DOH-Collier said to protect yourself from mosquitoes, you should remember to “Drain and Cover”:

DRAIN standing water to stop mosquitoes from multiplying.

COVER skin with clothing or repellent.

COVER doors and windows with screens to keep mosquitoes out of your house.

Source: The Florida Department of Health in Collier County.

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