Florida Reports 598 Local Dengue Cases in 2026

Locally transmitted dengue fever has risen in Florida this year, while North Carolina has recorded 10 cases.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Diseases — General

Florida Reports 598 Local Dengue Cases in 2026

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The CDC has documented 598 locally transmitted dengue fever cases among just over 1,000 total dengue cases in Florida in 2026. North Carolina recorded 10 dengue cases in 2026, according to the CDC and the NC Department of Health and Human Services.

Why it matters

Dengue fever is caused by any of four related viruses and is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which are also found in North Carolina. No dengue vaccine is currently available in the United States, and the disease is a leading cause of death globally.

The CDC counted 598 locally transmitted cases among just over 1,000 Florida dengue cases in 2026, while North Carolina recorded 10 cases against 16 at the same point in 2025. The reasons for the rise in locally contracted Florida cases remain unexplained in the available data.

The players

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The CDC is the U.S. federal public health agency that tracks disease incidence and issues surveillance data on infectious diseases such as dengue.

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

The state agency responsible for public health in North Carolina, which reports local dengue and West Nile case counts.

The details

Dengue fever is considered endemic in the continental United States, including Florida, though it rarely occurs there. Florida last faced a dengue outbreak in 2009, the first in over 50 years, and about 4 billion people worldwide live where dengue risk exists.

2009: Florida faced its first dengue outbreak in over 50 years.
2024: North Carolina recorded 70 dengue cases.
2025: North Carolina recorded 18 dengue cases.
September 2026: Three West Nile cases were reported in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

Health Landscape

The 2026 local dengue transmission in Florida follows the 2009 outbreak, which was the state's first in over 50 years and marked a return of locally acquired cases to the continental United States. Dengue remains rare in the continental U.S. even as its vector mosquitoes and endemic status persist.

Residents in Florida and North Carolina should be aware that Aedes mosquitoes transmit dengue, and that no U.S. vaccine is available to prevent it. Reducing standing water and using mosquito repellent are practical steps to limit exposure.

The takeaway

Because no dengue vaccine is available in the United States, preventing mosquito bites remains the main protection against infection. Checking for and eliminating standing water around the home can help reduce local mosquito populations.