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Last year, it was swine flu, so what’s the crazy new disease threatening us this summer? Dengue fever! About 5 percent of Key West residents have been exposed to the mosquito-spread virus, and now the first case has been reported in Miami-Dade.
The disease was thought to have been completely eradicated in America, and a case hasn’t been reported in Florida since 1934. However, the disease affects more than 100 million people each year worldwide.
Any cases in Florida since then have been found in people who traveled outside the United States, but the new cases have been found in people who haven’t left our borders.
The disease causes symptoms similar to the flu, including a sudden fever with headache, muscle pain, and skin rashes. Nausea, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal side effects can also occur. In some cases, the disease can be fatal.
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Health officials warn people to avoid mosquitoes by wearing protective clothing and repellent.
