Virginia health officials have confirmed the state’s first known case of locally acquired dengue, a viral disease usually associated with international travel
The Virginia Department of Health said 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 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 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 Virginia Department of Health, the state’s mosquito season typically runs from early May through early November
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