The three states are New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
Nearly 250 people have been infected with dengue fever, a virus spread by mosquitoes, in three northeastern U.S. states, according to data provided by federal health officials.
So far this year, New York state has reported 143 cases, and New Jersey has reported 41 cases, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data released last week. Massachusetts has also reported 59 cases.
About 50 dengue cases have been reported in Pennsylvania, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont in all so far in 2024. However, all of those cases occurred in individuals who were traveling, according to the CDC.
The only other U.S. state with locally transmitted cases so far this year is Florida, with nine cases.
Puerto Rico has reported more than 1,700 dengue cases this year, CDC data show.
Dengue fever transmission generally occurs in subtropical and tropical areas worldwide, health officials say.
The CDC didn’t respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times by publication time.
As of July 2, the CDC had reported 2,559 cases of dengue fever across the country. Most cases have been reported in Puerto Rico, which declared an emergency because of the virus in March.
Last month, the CDC issued a health alert for doctors to be on alert for dengue fever cases as the disease continues to spread worldwide. The virus has been on the rise worldwide and in the Americas in recent months, officials said, noting that some countries have broken calendar-year records for dengue cases.
In its bulletin on July 9, the CDC told doctors to be aware of the symptoms of the viral infection and to ask patients questions about where they had recently traveled. Doctors are also advised to order tests for dengue if it’s suspected.
Data provided by the CDC show that most South American and Central American countries, including Mexico and Brazil, have reported higher-than-normal numbers of dengue. It noted that the virus can be considered a year-round risk, and in some areas, there are outbreaks every two to five years.
Brazil’s Ministry of Health reported more than 5 million cases of dengue as of May.
By Jack Phillips
