In 2023 Dengue swept across the Western Hemisphere in numbers not seen since record-keeping began over four decades ago. Rising temperatures and rapid urbanization are accelerating the pace of infections. More than 4 million cases, with more than 2,000 deaths, were reported throughout the Americas and Caribbean, surpassing a previous record set in 2019. Higher temperatures are extending the mosquito’s habitat and helping the virus develop faster inside the mosquito, leading to higher viral loads and higher probability of transmission. Extended seasons have spread dengue farther north and south. California reported its first two locally-acquired dengue cases in 2023, and Florida 138 such cases, a record for the state.
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