Florida Travel Vaccines 2023

Florida Diseases Outbreaks 2023

Florida Arbovirus Surveillance update #46 was published on November 18, 2023. Mosquito-borne diseases in Florida include West Nile virus disease, Eastern equine encephalitis, and St. Louis encephalitis. Other mosquito-borne diseases in Florida include chikungunya, dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, West Nile virus, RSV, and Rift Valley fever. Florida has 14 species of Anopheles mosquitoes that transmit diseases to humans, and the Florida Department of Health issued a statewide mosquito-borne illness advisory on June 26, 2023. During 2023, Escambia, Jefferson, Nassau, Orange, Polk, St. Johns, and Walton counties are under a mosquito-borne illness advisory. Furthermore, as of October 2023, Broward, Manatee, Miami-Dade, and Sarasota counties are under a mosquito-borne illness alert.

Florida welcomed about 137.6 million visitors in 2022. Florida is home to two (Miami and Orlando) of MoneyTransfers's top 15 'over-tourist' destination cities in 2022.

Florida Vaccination Requirements 2023

As of November 2023, the state of Florida, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Canada, and the United Kingdom have not issued any vaccination requirements when visiting Florida. The U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Transportation Services Administration (TSA) have not issued any safety advisories for Florida in 2023.

Florida Diseases Outbreaks 2023

Alge Bllom - The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade lifted the health alert issued on December 2, 2022, of harmful blue-green algal toxins in the Coral Gables Canal - East Side. Follow-up water samples from the Department of Environmental Protection did not detect algal toxins. However, blue-green algae blooms can move around or subside and then reappear when conditions are favorable again. Therefore, residents and visitors are advised to avoid contact with the water if blooms are observed. The latest sample results can be viewed on ProtectingFloridaTogether.gov. 

Chikungunya - One case with onset in 2023 has been reported in an individual with a travel history to a chikungunya-endemic area two weeks before onset. The county reporting case was Lee, and the country of origin was Brazil. In 2022, one travel-associated chikungunya fever case was reported in Florida.

Chronic Wasting Disease - CWD is a progressive, fatal disease that affects the brain, spinal cord, and many other tissues of farmed and free-ranging deer, elk, and moose. On June 15, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced an emergency order regarding the spread of CWD in north Florida. There is no scientific evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans or livestock under natural conditions. However, the CDC does not recommend consuming meat from animals that test positive for CWD or from any sick animal.

Dengue Fever - As of November 18, 2023, 142 cases of locally acquired dengue have been reported, primarily in Miami-Dade County. In 2022, 68 cases of locally acquired dengue were reported. In 2023, 458 travel-associated dengue fever cases were reported, primarily in people arriving from Cuba and Brazil. 

Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus - In 2023, two humans' positive samples were reported. The Florida Department of Health in Polk County (DOH-Polk) advised residents there has been an increase in mosquito-borne disease activity in areas of Polk County. 

Everglades Virus - Spillover of Everglades virus (EVEV) to humans and dogs has been recorded since the 1960s. In 2022, positive samples from 72 sentinel chickens and 11 horses were reported from 24 counties. In 2023, positive samples from six sentinel chickens and two horses were reported from five counties.

Leprosy - According to the National Hansen's Disease Program, 159 new cases were reported in the United States in 2020. Central Florida, in particular, accounted for 81% of patients reported in Florida and almost 20% of nationally reported cases. The CDC said in July 2023 that there is some support for the theory that international migration of persons with leprosy is a potential source of autochthonous transmission. 

Malaria - In 2023, seven locally acquired malaria cases were reported in DOH-Sarasota. Six-seven malaria cases with onset in 2023 have been reported in individuals with a travel history to a malaria-endemic area, such as Nigeria, with 17 cases. The U.S. CDC published a report on September 8, 2023 - Outbreak of Locally Acquired (Autochthonous) Mosquito-Transmitted Malaria.

Mpox - Since the beginning of 2023, Florida has identified 38 cases of mpox across 12 counties. Florida counties have an elevated risk for outbreaks, led by Duval County at 57%, and Hillsborough and Palm Beach counties have a 52% risk of mpox outbreaks.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus - The Florida Department of Health segmented reports into five RSV regions. As of November 4, 2023, RSV activity in Florida increased admission, positivity, and emergency room rates. Counties with RSV outbreaks in the current week are Columbia (1), Flagler (1), Pinellas (2), and Volusia (1).

West Nile Virus - In 2023, positive samples were confirmed from seven humans. In 2022, WNV-positive samples from six humans, five horses, 463 sentinel chickens, and eight mosquito pools have been reported from 27 counties. There were 10 cases of West Nile virus in Florida in 2021.