Crime & Public Safety
Hillsborough County issues local state of emergency as dengue cases rise
Hillsborough County officials have declared a local state of emergency in response to a rising number of locally acquired dengue fever cases and ongoing mosquito-control operations. County Administrator Bonnie Wise signed an executive order putting emergency authorities in place for at least seven days while county managers evaluate whether to extend or rescind it.
County leaders say the declaration is intended to speed public-health and vector-control responses: it grants the county administrator and emergency managers flexibility to waive routine procedures and quickly approve actions related to mosquito management. Hillsborough County is coordinating aerial and ground treatments and maintaining an online resource where residents can view treatment locations; officials also provide a phone line for mosquito management information.
State health data cited by local officials indicate more than 170 dengue cases in Hillsborough County, including 36 new cases logged during a recent seven-day period. Neighboring counties have also activated emergency measures and reported additional locally acquired cases, and hospitals in the region have treated large numbers of dengue patients, according to health officials.
The Florida Department of Health and county mosquito-control agencies are leading case investigations and vector-reduction efforts. The documented facts above reflect reported case counts and the county’s executive order; specific patient details, outcomes or unverified claims are not included in this report.
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