Tourist contracts dengue virus in Key West, health officials say

Patient expected to make full recovery

KEY WEST, Fla. – A tourist who recently visited Key West contracted the dengue virus during their vacation, the Florida Department of Health confirmed Wednesday.

Health officials said all "indications are that this infection was locally acquired in Key West."

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The patient received medical treatment in Monroe County and has since returned to his or her home state, officials said.

The tourist is expected to make a full recovery.

No other recent cases have been reported in Monroe County.

DOH-Monroe and the Division of Disease Control and Health Protection are conducting epidemiological studies to determine the origin of the virus and the extent of infection.

Florida Keys Mosquito Control is assisting with the investigation and has intensified its mosquito control activities throughout Key West.

Health officials said dengue fever is not contagious, but is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Symptoms of dengue fever include muscle aches, pain, fever and sometimes a rash. Symptoms usually appear within 10 days after someone is bitten by an infected mosquito.

Health officials said Key West experienced a dengue outbreak in 2009. No dengue cases have been reported in the area since October 2010.

There are also no reported cases of the Zika virus in Monroe County, although there are more than 120 cases of travel-related Zika in Florida.

Click here for more information about mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue and Zika.


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.