Officials are looking into what appears to be the first case of locally-acquired dengue in San Diego County’s history.
The illness appeared in an Escondido resident who had not recently traveled anywhere that the mosquito-borne illness is common.
The arrival of dengue in San Diego County does not come as a surprise, the county said in a release, nor is the virus unprecedented in Southern California. Los Angeles County reported five cases of locally contracted dengue this year, and Long Beach and Pasadena each had their first cases of locally acquired dengue in late 2023.
“While the risk of widespread transmission of dengue remains low in San Diego County, County Public Health and Vector Control are working closely to respond quickly to prevent mosquitoes from spreading the illness in this area,” said Dr. Ankita Kadakia, the county’s interim public health officer.
San Diego County Vector Control began spraying over the weekend for mosquitoes at about 170 homes in Escondido. The spraying will continue through Oct. 10.
Vector Control did similar treatments in Oceanside in September and in the Mount Hope area of San Diego last July. Both were initiated to prevent potential local spread of dengue due to travel-associated dengue cases and the high numbers of Aedes mosquitos that have appeared in the neighborhoods in recent years.
Dengue, also called break-bone fever because of the severe muscular and joint pain it can cause, is a blood-borne viral infection that appears in tropical and sub-tropical climates, and until recently did not appear in the United States.
Although most people will have no symptoms or mild symptoms, it can present with high fever, headaches, body aches, nausea, and rashes, and symptoms such as fatigue can persist for weeks or months. Severe cases can result in hospitalization or death.
The virus can be controlled by using mosquito repellents or netting, cleaning out areas mosquitoes use for breeding, and making sure that window screens are intact.
