A coronavirus pandemic wasn’t the only health threat in the Upper Keys in 2020. More than 50 residents became infected with dengue. Intense mosquito control activities were witnessed for several months from MM 106 Key Largo to Harry Harris Park in Tavernier.
An outbreak began in mid June-when the Florida Health Department confirmed a positive case of dengue that was locally acquired in Key Largo. Cases grew from there as health and mosquito control officials implemented a response plan that included inspectors going door-to-door to treat properties to prevent breeding.
In addition, truck and aerial adulticide and larvicide treatments were conducted throughout the areas of concern to reduce the mosquito population, and hand foggers were used in certain areas. Mosquito traps were placed in the area to monitor the Aedes aegypti population. Collected mosquitoes were tested for mosquito-borne diseases.
By late June, 10 dengue cases were reported to the health department as mitigation efforts continued. But the numbers continued to climb, with more than 40 infected by August. In total, 56 people were known to have come down with dengue.
Dengue fever is not contagious; it is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. The Keys Weekly spoke with Upper Keys resident Tom Bartlett on his experience with dengue. Bartlett lives just north of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, between MM 102.5 and 103, with his wife, Sarah, and newborn. Bartlett said it was mid-June when people he knew started to get sick. Bartlett said the number of people he’d normally see out walking quickly subsided as they were inside, feeling unwell.
“No one knew it was dengue at that point in time,” he said. “Was it COVID or was it something else? There were some ladies in the neighborhood who were doing some research. Looking at symptoms, it kind of started to allude to maybe dengue.”
Bartlett told the Weekly it wasn’t until later in June that there started to be confirmation, and people went and got a blood test.
“At that point it wasn’t like it was being reported,” he said. “It was more word of mouth in that South Creek Village (located near MM 103, oceanside).”
Bartlett said coming down with dengue felt like a mild flu. By day three and four, he was in bed as “my body hurt from head to toe.”
All individuals who came down with dengue made a full recovery, as no deaths were reported. New cases tapered off toward late August and early September.
