Dengue fever case confirmed in Manatee County as cases rise across Florida

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) - A mosquito-borne illness typically associated with tropical regions is reaching new highs in Florida. And now, there’s one confirmed case in Manatee County.According to the Florida Department of Health’s latest data, more than 400 cases of locally acquired dengue fever have been reported across the state this year.Dengue is a viral infection spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.Christopher Lesser, director of the Manatee County Mosquito Control District, says the district has been taking preventative measures in areas where the disease is more likely to occur.“We’ve been treating our urban areas where this disease normally occurs, once every two weeks. This would be all of Palmetto, all of Bradenton, as a preventative measure,” Lesser said.Lesser says the district has been working to keep mosquito populations low amid a broader dengue outbreak across the Tampa Bay area.He says the mosquito population in urban areas has remained particu