Rise in Dengue Fever cases prompts health alert for popular spring break spots

The Dengue virus is spread through mosquito bites and symptoms usually appear within two weeks after the infecting bite, according to the CDC. Spring break destinations on the U.S. mainland and territories are also not risk-free. Local health officials have declared dengue outbreaks in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and local transmission was reported in 2024 in California, Florida and Texas. A map showing countries reporting higher-than-usual number of dengue cases as of March 20, 2025. (CDC)

The U.S. State Department recently issued a Level 2 travel advisory, warning travelers to exercise increased caution in the Turks and Caicos Islands due to crime. The alert comes as the islands prepare for spring break visitors. Most crime in the British Overseas Territory, located in the Atlantic Ocean nearly 600 miles southeast of Miami and just south of Bermuda, occurs on the Turk and Caicos’ main island of Providenciales, and local police may have limited investigatory resources, according to the State Department.

SPRING EQUINOX MYTH BUSTED: YOU CAN STAND AN EGG ON ITS END TODAY – AND ANY OTHER DAY Mexico, Central and South America, and some Caribbean islands are reporting higher-than-average cases. 

“This trend is expected to continue with increased dengue activity in endemic areas in 2025,” the CDC said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, some countries are higher-than-usual cases of Dengue Fever this spring, and the CDC has found a higher-than-expected number of instances in U.S. travelers returning from these counties, prompting a level 1 health alert.  MEXICO UNVEILS PLAN TO TACKLE CARIBBEAN SEAWEED INVASION AT POPULAR BEACHES LINK: Get updates on this story and more at foxweather.com.

What is dengue fever?

Any bleeding from the nose and gums, or within the vomit or stool, should be considered a sign of severe dengue, and a visit to the local emergency room is recommended. 

The map below shows countries around the world reporting higher-than-usual cases. The CDC said travelers to these destinations may be at increased risk of dengue infection. 

People enjoy Miami Beach, before its closure as part of new measures to control spring break, in Miami, United States March 13, 2025. (Photo by Jesus Olarte/Anadolu via Getty Images) (Getty Images) In most cases, rest, acetaminophen and fluids are the best treatments for mild dengue cases. Most people recover about a week after their first symptoms, including body aches, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, rash, and fever. In severe cases, dengue can cause internal bleeding and be fatal. One in 20 people infected with dengue will become critically ill. The best way to prevent dengue is to avoid mosquito bites by wearing Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellents and limiting mosquitoes indoors and outdoors. Parents should also dress their children and babies in clothing that covers their arms and legs and use mosquito nets for strollers and baby carriers. As spring breakers flock to warmer travel destinations in March and April, the number of mosquitoes and the potentially deadly diseases they carry increase. A male (top) and a female (bottom) Aedes aegypti mosquitos are seen through a microscope at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation laboratory in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 14, 2019. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)