State of Local Emergency declared for dengue fever in Pinellas County
September 24, 2026 - The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners today declared a State of Local Emergency for the mosquito-borne spread of dengue fever impacting Pinellas County. The declaration gives County Administrator Barry A. Burton authority to quickly approve expenditures related to mosquito control and allows for reimbursement if state funding is made available by the governor. As of the Florida Department of Health’s (FDOH) latest report issued on Sept. 24, Pinellas County has seven confirmed cases. The Tampa Bay region has 179 confirmed cases across Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties. Additionally, Pinellas County has observed increased West Nile virus activity in our sentinel chicken coops, which is an early warning for potential human transmission