Virginia health officials have confirmed the state’s first known case of locally acquired dengue, a viral disease usually associated with international travel.
the person, who lives in Northern Virginia, became sick but had not recently traveled outside the state.
Instead, the patient had been near another Virginia resident who was infected with dengue overseas. Health officials believe a local mosquito likely bit the traveler and later spread the virus to the second resident.
Officials said the risk to the public remains low, but the case is a reminder to protect yourself from mosquito bites during the summer months.
According to , dengue is spread by Aedes mosquitoes and is not passed directly from person to person.
Symptoms can include fever, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, nausea and rash. Most people recover within a week, though some infections can become severe and require hospitalization.
Health officials recommend using EPA-registered insect repellent and emptying standing water around homes where mosquitoes can breed.
According to , the state’s mosquito season typically runs from early May through early November.
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