Hillsborough County declared a state of local emergency over rising cases of dengue fever Thursday.
Bonnie Wise, the county administrator, signed the executive order that goes into effect today as local officials continue to try to control the spread of the mosquito population in Tampa Bay. Pasco County issued a state of emergency order on Wednesday.
Pinellas commissioners decided in their meeting Thursday to also declare a state of emergency due to dengue fever.
A state of local emergency can be in effect for seven days unless officials rescind or extend it, according to Hillsborough County officials.
Florida has reported 392 cases of dengue fever both locally and internationally acquired, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tampa Bay has reported 169 cases, including 160 in Hillsborough, seven in Pinellas and two in Pasco counties as of Sept. 19, according to Florida Department of Health data. Thirty-eight new locally acquired cases were reported in Florida in the last week.
Pinellas County Administrator Barry Burton said code enforcement has gone to knock on doors and continue to spray around the county. The county could spend another $1 million on chemicals, overtime pay and employing services from another county to treat mosquitoes in the area, Burton added.
“They don’t stop at the county line,” Commission Chairperson Dave Eggers said of the mosquitoes.
Pinellas’ state of emergency is limited to 42 days, or about six weeks, County Attorney Jewel White said. Declaring a state of emergency allows the government to access state funding should it become available, White added.
A Hillsborough County woman who died earlier this month was the first known person to die as a result of dengue fever in the state this year. Her death was the first fatality from the tropical disease in almost a century in Tampa Bay.
State and local officials have given clear guidance on how to ward off the spread dengue fever: drain garbage cans, gutters and buckets. Throw out old tires, planters or other items where water could gather. Keep pools chlorinated and covered when not in use. Most importantly, if you think there’s a problem, report it.
