Texas has confirmed 10 cases of dengue fever, prompting U.S. health officials to advise caution against the mosquito-borne disease amidst a historic global surge this summer.
The Texas Department of State Health Services announced that all 10 cases in 2024 were linked to international travel. However, they cautioned that a small number of individuals in recent years contracted the disease from local mosquitoes in southern Texas. The department highlighted that heavy, widespread rainfall from Hurricane Beryl earlier this month created standing water, providing ideal conditions for mosquito breeding. They urged those involved in storm cleanup to take precautions against insect bites.
“Unfortunately, many mosquitoes in Texas are capable of spreading diseases such as West Nile and dengue. These diseases are often mild, but some people will develop severe illness,” said Jennifer Shuford, commissioner of the state health department. “So, it is important for Texans to know how to protect themselves against mosquito bites.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory earlier this summer about the spread of dengue, noting that globally reported cases have reached a record high in 2024.
Across the United States, a record 2,559 cases of dengue have been reported in 45 states and territories so far in 2024. This includes 218 cases in Florida, 143 in New York, and 40 in California, according to the CDC. Puerto Rico declared a public health emergency after reporting 1,498 dengue cases. The CDC warns that cases are likely to increase as global temperatures rise. The national number of dengue infections has already surpassed last year’s total of 1,848 cases, which was the highest tally since at least 2010. Cases had drastically fallen during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic but have since resurged. The CDC cautions that hot, wet weather could create breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes, especially as the summer travel season peaks.
Globally, more than 10 million dengue cases and 5,000 deaths have been reported from 80 countries and territories since the beginning of 2024, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The Americas have accounted for most of the reported cases, with 9.7 million so far this year, more than double the 4.6 million cases reported in 2023.
In Texas alone, the health department reported 79 cases of dengue last year, including one locally acquired case in Val Verde County. Department spokesperson Lara Anton confirmed to USA TODAY that no related deaths were reported in 2023.
