Hillsborough extends dengue state of emergency

With dengue fever cases now approaching 400 in Hillsborough County, the local state of emergency has been extended through this Thursday. And on top of that, it was quite a rainy weekend and mosquitoes love water. Yes, they do. Fox 13's Eric Placencia has a look now at what homeowners need to be doing to try to keep these bugs at bay. So you think about all the rain that we got over this weekend. That means there's a pretty good chance there's some sort of standing water somewhere around your home. So now is the time to be really diligent about going out and dumping all that standing water. Yes, we have seen our temperatures drop, but it isn't enough to kill all of those mosquitoes yet. So let's talk about where things stand in the fight against dengue. We'll start with the good news. County officials say their aggressive treatment strategies are working because mosquito traps are testing negative for dengue here in Hillsborough County. Additionally, some areas have seen a drastic reduction in the overall number of mosquitoes. For example, the East Lake area is reporting a 97% reduction in the Aedes aegypti mosquito. That's the specific species that spreads dengue. Officials say all those helicopter and truck spraying operations are working to control the mosquito population. But you'll continue to see those treatments because the county isn't letting its guard down as cases here in Hillsborough approach 400. With these active rainstorms that are coming into the region that we've seen over the weekend, Mosquitoes still love that, you know, they still love water, they still love the humidity that we're seeing. Temperatures haven't cooled down quite yet, so we're asking the public just to be conscious out there. And now a quick look at total dengue cases in the Bay Area, according to the most recent data from the State Health Department. Hillsborough leads the way at 385, where one death has also been reported. Then Pinellas with 67, Pasco with four, Manatee with two, and Polk with one. Symptoms to watch out for include fever, joint pain, and muscle aches. But remember, you can have dengue and not show any symptoms. And so hypothetically, a mosquito bites one of those people, and then goes and bites a healthy person, and now that person becomes infected. And so that's why county officials want people to take the proper precautions now that we've got nicer weather, more outdoor gatherings. And so those precautions, that includes wearing bug spray, Also wearing. Loose clothing, long sleeves, and also, of course, dump any standing water. In Tampa, Erin Plascencia, I'll send it back to you.