Los Angeles has recorded two more Dengue Fever infections in what has been a very active year for the historically tropical disease in the US. The two additional infections brings the total number of cases for Los Angeles County this year to 11, while raising the national total to over 6,800 cases. More than 4,400 of these infections were locally acquired, which means that the infected person did not visit a region where the virus is more common. The remaining 2,300 cases were linked to travel to countries where dengue is more widely circulating, mostly in tropical and subtropical zones. Dengue is a viral illness spread by mosquitos.
The surge in locally acquired cases in significant as it reflects that dengue is gaining a foothold in the US. The rise of dengue infections in the US mirrors an upward trend globally, driven largely global warming and increasing travel. The warmer climate, combined with more frequent and severe rainstorms, is creating better conditions for mosquitos to flourish. As a result countries where the disease is historically common saw a record-breaking number of cases this year, while the disease encroaches on non-tropical territory such as the US.
