Dangerous mosquito-borne virus surges in popular US state as cases reach highest levels in decades

Florida health officials have confirmed 485 locally acquired cases of dengue fever this year, as the state grapples with its largest outbreak in decades.

Between Oct. 18 and Oct. 24, state surveillance logged 60 new infections, with the Tampa Bay area accounting for roughly 95% of all locally acquired cases recorded statewide, according to the Florida Department of Health.

The surge prompted emergency declarations in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties in late September, allowing for faster purchasing and spraying and requests for state and federal reimbursement. Hillsborough County has since extended its state of local emergency amid ongoing transmission.

DENGUE FEVER OUTBREAK TRIGGERS STATES OF EMERGENCY IN 3 SOUTHERN COUNTIES

The locally acquired infections are separate from more than 300 travel-associated dengue cases reported in Florida this year.

The Florida Mosquito Control Association said mosquito abatement teams are stepping up targeted ground spraying, aerial applications and localized property inspections.

Dengue is a viral illness transmitted primarily through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The virus can cause fever, severe muscle and joint pain, nausea, rash and, in severe cases, dangerous complications or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Unlike many mosquito species that bite mostly at dawn and dusk, the mosquitoes carrying dengue feed aggressively during daytime hours and thrive in humid residential environments.

DEADLY MOSQUITO-BORNE VIRUS CLAIMS FIRST LIFE IN MAJOR US CITY AS CASES SPREAD

"The Aedes mosquitoes that can transmit dengue are active during the day and thrive in warm, humid environments like those found in Florida," an entomologist spokesperson at the SC Johnson Center for Insect Science and Family Health previously told Fox News Digital.

"Staying aware of local mosquito activity and consistently protecting against bites are important steps people can take to help reduce their risk."

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Public health officials emphasize that Aedes mosquitoes are "container breeders," requiring as little as a tablespoon of standing water to lay eggs. Officials urge residents to inspect yards weekly and drain or cover birdbaths, gutters, planters, discarded tires and outdoor containers.

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Health authorities recommend taking the following additional precautions.

Most people infected with dengue experience mild or no symptoms, typically recovering within two weeks, according to Mayo Clinic.

When symptoms do occur, they usually surface four to 10 days after an infectious bite. Severe dengue can progress rapidly within 24 to 48 hours after the initial fever drops.

Warning signs include persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, mucosal bleeding and extreme lethargy.

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Anyone experiencing those signs should seek emergency medical care immediately.

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New cancer treatment approach could help immune cells fight tumors longer

Scientists may have found a way to help the body's immune cells fight cancer for longer, potentially making some treatments more effective.

Researchers at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that temporarily boosting a protein called p53 helped specially prepared immune cells stay stronger and kill more melanoma cells in laboratory experiments.

The study, published in Frontiers in Immunology, focused on T cells, which are immune cells that help the body fight disease.

NEW CANCER VACCINE DELIVERS STUNNING RESULT AGAINST ONE OF THE DEADLIEST SKIN CANCERS

Some cancer treatments take a patient's T cells, modify them in a lab so they can recognize cancer, and then return them to the body to attack tumors.

One challenge is that these cells can eventually become "exhausted," making them less effective at fighting cancer, the UCLA researchers said.

To address that problem, researchers treated human T cells with an experimental drug called navtemadlin, which temporarily increases the activity of p53, a protein known for helping to prevent cancer.

The treated T cells showed fewer signs of exhaustion, had more energy and developed characteristics that could help them last longer. When tested against melanoma cells in the lab, they were also significantly more effective at killing the cancer cells than untreated T cells, according to the research.

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Kien Vuu, a Los Angeles-based triple board-certified physician and former UCLA assistant clinical professor, confirmed that T-cell exhaustion is one of the biggest challenges encountered with these treatments.

"After repeated encounters with cancer, they become 'exhausted' and lose their ability to multiply and attack," Vuu, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital.

Vuu said the approach could offer a relatively simple way to strengthen existing treatments.

"The practical appeal is simplicity," he said. "Rather than adding another genetic modification, this approach adds a drug during the manufacturing step, when a patient's T cells are being prepared in the lab."

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If the approach works in further research, Vuu said it could potentially help T cells remain effective for longer, particularly when treating solid tumors.

The findings are still preliminary, however.

"This is early, laboratory-stage research," Vuu acknowledged. "The experiments were done with human cells in a dish against melanoma cells, not in animals or people."

Researchers will need to test the approach in animals and other types of cancer before moving into clinical trials, according to Vuu.

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The amount of the drug will also need to be carefully studied. The UCLA researchers found that higher doses caused more T cells to die, while lower doses produced the desired effects without substantially reducing the number of healthy cells.

"Dosing is especially important," Vuu said. "The researchers found that too much p53 activation actually killed more of the T cells, so getting the balance right will be critical."

"Patients shouldn't expect this in the clinic soon, but it's a promising new direction worth following."

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.

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Type 2 diabetes patients 21 times more likely to achieve remission with intensive lifestyle changes

A strict routine combining a low-calorie diet with supervised strength and aerobic training helped more than half of younger adults reverse type 2 diabetes within six months, according to a study published in The Lancet Regional Health - Americas.

The study, dubbed the RESET for Remission trial, found that 54% of participants under age 45 who completed the intensive lifestyle program achieved disease remission.

In comparison, only 4% of participants receiving standard medical care reached the same milestone.

VITAMIN SUPPLEMENT MAY DELAY DIABETES IN SELECT GROUPS, RESEARCHERS SAY

Type 2 diabetes diagnosed at a younger age is historically aggressive, according to medical literature.

Patients diagnosed before 45 face a faster loss of blood sugar control, earlier cardiovascular complications and a shorter overall life expectancy than those diagnosed later in life.

Researchers from McGill University in Canada and the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom enrolled 96 adults between the ages of 18 and 45 who were living with obesity and early-onset type 2 diabetes. None of the participants were using insulin.

The intervention group halted their blood sugar and blood pressure medications under medical supervision and began an intensive 800- to 900-calorie daily diet.

SIMPLE EXERCISE DONE JUST ONCE A WEEK COULD HELP LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

For the first two weeks, patients consumed only meal-replacement products. From weeks three through 12, they were allowed one structured meal of lean protein and vegetables each day alongside meal replacements, before shifting into a weight maintenance phase for the final 12 weeks.

The program paired calorie restriction with supervised aerobic and resistance training twice weekly, plus one weekly solo workout.

"Our study shows that it is possible to combine a low-calorie diet with supervised exercise in young adults with type 2 diabetes," lead author Dr. Kaberi Dasgupta, a professor of medicine and director of the Division of General Internal Medicine at McGill University, told Fox News Digital.

"There has previously been some concern about combining the two as being too much of a burden for people. However, people in our study stayed in our study."

Only 10% of participants failed to complete the final evaluations, and patients attended a median of 17 out of 20 scheduled supervised gym sessions.

The researchers emphasized resistance training to combat the loss of lean muscle mass, a major risk associated with rapid weight loss.

4 SIMPLE HABITS CAN HELP SLOW MUSCLE LOSS AS YOU AGE, FITNESS EXPERT SAYS

People who lose weight through crash dieting or appetite-suppressing medications may shed muscle along with fat, experts warn. If the weight returns, some research suggests it may come back disproportionately as body fat, potentially affecting muscle health and metabolism over time.

"In our study, we think the diet provoked the weight loss, and exercise helped make sure it was [not] from muscle," Dasgupta said.

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"We were happy and surprised that not only did people lose fat from their organs and liver, our MRI studies indicated their muscle did not decrease at all and their handgrip strength went up."

Participants shed an average of 18.5 pounds over 24 weeks, while significantly boosting their treadmill endurance and overall cardiovascular fitness.

To meet the official standard for remission, patients had to maintain an HbA1c blood sugar level below 6.5% after going at least 12 weeks without any glucose-lowering drugs.

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After accounting for baseline health factors, researchers concluded that patients on the diet and exercise program were 21 times more likely to achieve remission than those receiving routine care.

Despite the promising outcomes, experts emphasized notable limitations. The trial was small, examining fewer than 100 individuals across medical centers in England and Canada over a relatively short six-month window.

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Dasgupta also noted that the study could not determine exactly what was responsible for each benefit.

"The main limitation is that we had to compare the diet plus exercise with usual care," he told Fox News Digital. "We would have liked to compare diet alone against diet and exercise to perfectly prove the point that the improvements in muscle and fitness were from the exercise."

The strict routine also took a physical toll. Roughly 86% of the intervention group reported mild to moderate side effects, primarily during the early weeks, including headaches, fatigue, dizziness and constipation, though researchers noted that no severe medical complications occurred.

Health professionals cautioned that diabetes remission is not a permanent cure, and sustaining an 800-calorie threshold alongside supervised gym can present steep hurdles for busy adults outside a clinical setting.

Study authors noted that longer-term trials in real-world settings are still needed to determine whether patients can keep the weight off, preserve their muscle gains and remain medication-free once regular daily routines resume.

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Your walking speed may hold a clue to how long you’ll live, study suggests

The speed a person normally walks could offer a simple clue about their overall health and longevity, new research suggests.

A study published in JAMA Network Open followed 4,067 adults in the U.K., who were about 69 years old on average, to see whether their usual walking pace was linked to their risk of death over time.

Participants completed a short walking test at their normal pace and also wore a wrist activity tracker for nine days to capture their walking speed during everyday life.

FORGET THE GYM: A 30-SECOND TEST MAY BE ONE OF THE BEST INDICATORS OF LONGEVITY

Over nearly 12 years of follow-up, faster walking in both settings was linked to a lower risk of death, even after researchers accounted for other health and lifestyle factors. A total of 739 participants died during that period.

Beth Templin, a board-certified geriatric clinical specialist and CEO of HouseFit Physical Therapy & Fitness in St. Louis, said walking speed can offer a broader look at how well the body is functioning.

"In physical therapy, we call walking speed the 'sixth vital sign' because it's a snapshot of how well many body systems are working together," Templin, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

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Changes in walking speed can therefore offer clues about a person's health, according to the doctor.

"To walk briskly, you need strong legs, a healthy heart and lungs, good balance, and a brain and nervous system that can coordinate it all," she said.

"When walking speed starts to slip, it's often an early warning sign that one of those systems is declining, sometimes before anything shows up on a lab test," Templin added.

For older adults who want to improve their walking speed and overall fitness, simply taking more steps may not be enough.

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"Build the engine, not just the habit," Templin advised. "Most people try to walk more, but speed comes from strength and balance."

The doctor suggested strengthening the legs with simple exercises, such as standing up from a chair without using the hands and doing heel raises while holding onto a counter.

She also recommended adding short bursts of faster walking. After warming up, a person could walk briskly for one minute, slow down for two minutes and then repeat, gradually increasing the faster periods.

The findings do not mean that simply walking faster will make someone live longer, experts noted.

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"This study shows an association, not proof that walking faster by itself adds years," Templin reiterated.

The participants included in the study were generally healthier than the larger group, the researchers noted. There is also no single standard method for measuring everyday walking pace with wrist activity trackers.

More research is needed to determine whether the findings apply to other groups.

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.

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Women's sex drive treatment linked to higher rates of heart attack and stroke

Postmenopausal women who use testosterone therapy could face a higher risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems, new research suggests.

The research, presented at the 2026 annual meeting of The Menopause Society last month in San Diego, looked at more than 6,000 postmenopausal women age 45 and older, comparing those who received testosterone therapy with those who did not. Women with a history of cardiovascular disease were excluded.

Among women receiving testosterone, 3.8% experienced a first-time cardiovascular event compared with 0.5% of women who were not receiving the treatment, according to The Menopause Society.

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Those events included heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other cardiovascular problems.

Testosterone is a sex hormone produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands that plays a role in sexual desire, as well as muscle and bone health, mood and cognition, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Anna Cabeca, a Dallas-based board-certified OB-GYN and menopause expert, told Fox News Digital that the differences between the two groups — women who received testosterone and those who did not — deserve attention.

"The difference between 3.8% and 0.5% is certainly significant enough to warrant attention, but we need to be careful about what these numbers actually tell us," said Cabeca, who was not involved in the study.

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That amounts to about 38 cardiovascular events per 1,000 women receiving testosterone compared with five per 1,000 women who were not, the doctor noted.

For women considering testosterone therapy, Cabeca said doctors should look at the patient's overall health, including heart history, blood pressure, cholesterol, metabolic health, medications and family history.

"Sexual health is an essential part of overall health, and women deserve to have their concerns about libido, arousal and intimacy taken seriously, particularly during and after menopause," she added.

While testosterone can improve sexual desire and satisfaction in appropriately selected postmenopausal women, the possible benefits should be weighed against potential risks, Cabeca advised.

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In cases when testosterone is appropriate, she favors careful dosing, monitoring and regular checks of a patient's symptoms and lab results.

There are important limitations to the new findings, the researchers acknowledged.

The study was observational, meaning the researchers looked at outcomes among women who were already receiving testosterone rather than assigning the treatment in a controlled trial.

As a result, the study can show a link between testosterone use and cardiovascular events, but cannot prove that the treatment caused them.

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Women who received testosterone may also have differed from those who did not in ways that affected their heart risk, including age, blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol levels or other health factors, Cabeca said.

"This is an important safety signal that deserves further investigation, not definitive evidence of causation," she added.

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.

Deirdre Bardolf of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

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5 habits that could help keep you out of a nursing home, from an orthopedic surgeon

Three in four Americans aged 50 and older would like to remain in their homes as they age, according to the AARP — and preserving that independence starts with daily habits.

Dr. Vonda Wright, a double board-certified orthopedic surgeon, author and authority on active aging and mobility, who is based in Orlando, Florida, said there are three main problems that can make it difficult for older adults to age in place.

Those include difficulty getting up from a chair and caring for themselves, memory problems, and incontinence that makes it hard to manage personal hygiene.

FORGET THE GYM: A 30-SECOND TEST MAY BE ONE OF THE BEST INDICATORS OF LONGEVITY

"The missing piece in most conversations between mental health, physical health and independence is your skeletal longevity," Wright said.

Staying independent with age requires attention to the entire musculoskeletal system, including the muscles, bones and tendons, according to the surgeon.

Wright shared the following habits as most important for maintaining independence outside of a nursing home.

The human body "craves mobility," Wright said.

"When you think about it, it's our first skill. We learn to walk when we're 1," she pointed out.

WEEKLY WEIGHTLIFTING SWEET SPOT MAY BE LINKED TO LONGER LIFE, STUDY FINDS

For older adults, staying active can help preserve the ability to handle everyday tasks independently. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests low-impact activities such as walking, cycling and water exercise.

"Even when your hips hurt, even when your knees hurt, you should move on the ground, or get in a pool in chest-high water," Wright suggested.

While the doctor does not recommend exercising through a new injury or severe pain, she pushed back against the belief that rest is the best way to address pain.

PEOPLE LIVING PAST 100 IN ONE TINY VILLAGE SHARE 3 DAILY HABITS

"Rest doesn't cure anything. When you have, for instance, arthritic knees, do you know what can help? Building the muscles around your knees, building the muscles in your hips to support your knees," she said. "So rest is not the answer for feeling better — staying strong and mobile is."

Strength training can help older adults maintain the ability to get out of a chair, climb stairs and carry groceries — everyday tasks that support independent living.

There is never an age or skill level when it’s too late to build muscle, according to Wright.

FITNESS EXPERT REVEALS 6 THINGS PEOPLE OVER 35 SHOULD DO AFTER WORKOUTS TO STAY STRONG

"Even if you feel like you've declined or your parents have declined, there is no age or skill level when we can't become more mobile, when we can't build muscle or reconnect the neuromuscular pathways," she said.

It’s even possible to build muscle sitting in a wheelchair, she noted. "Some of the very first research done by Dr. Maria Fiatarone at Tufts University showed that even at 90 years old, you can regain function."

In that small 1990 study, nine nursing home residents who completed eight weeks of high-intensity resistance training increased their muscle strength by an average of 174%, and also showed improvements in muscle size and mobility.

The National Institute on Aging recommends that older adults perform muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week, targeting all major muscle groups, with recovery time between sessions.

Some options include resistance bands, hand weights and body-weight exercises. Beginners are advised to start gradually and seek guidance from a doctor or physical therapist as needed.

Older adults tend to eat less, which can undermine efforts to maintain energy and build muscle, Wright warned.

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"It’s something I see even happening to my 86-year-old parents; they're just eating less and less," she said. "And we cannot fuel the muscle we want to build [and] the energy we need without a protein-forward, adequate-calorie diet."

Although older adults may require fewer calories, they still need enough nutrients to support their health, according to the National Institute on Aging.

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To help maintain muscle, the agency recommends that older adults consume protein-rich foods throughout the day, including seafood, dairy, fortified soy products, beans and lentils. Specific calorie needs will vary based on each person’s weight and activity level.

Wright urged older adults to challenge assumptions about what they can and can’t do as they age.

"The most common mistake I see seniors making as they age is assuming that aging is an inevitable decline from vitality to frailty," she said.

"They just assume that a certain number of birthday candles predisposes them to sitting on a couch the rest of their life. The reality is that there is no age or skill level when you're done."

Wright suggested that people should start working toward future independence during their busy working years.

"We need to start thinking about that in our busiest times of life, in our 30s, our 40s, our prime times of working," she said. "It’s part of a long-term, lifetime plan to live where you want to live, with whom you want to live, when you want to live there."

The doctor recommends that adults directly ask their aging parents what assistance they need and to explore available support, including community programs.

In many cases, she said, parents do not want to be a burden to their adult children, so they never ask for anything.

"I think this is a time for really open, frank conversations," Wright said. "What do you want help with? How can I help you? How could we get help for you if possible?"

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As an example, Wright said her elderly parents live with her family. When she noticed their meals started to suffer while she was traveling, she arranged for support to help them continue managing their lives.

"I have half of their meals delivered every week because I'm not going to be home to shop or cook," she said. "They remain independent, but with assistance. And that's what works for us."

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Paper straws could be doing more harm than good, study suggests

Paper straws have been marketed as a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic, but a new South Korean assessment suggests they may carry a greater pollution-related health burden.

South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment commissioned the assessment from the Korean Society for Life Cycle Assessment, according to news reports.

Researchers compared how paper, plastic and other disposable straws could affect human health and the environment, from production through disposal.

POPULAR ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER LINKED TO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS HEART RISK

Paper straws scored 6.33 times as high as conventional plastic straws in an estimate of cancer-related harm from pollution generated during production and disposal, according to South Korean reports. 

The score estimates potential harm from pollution generated from production through disposal — not chemical exposure or cancer risk from drinking through a straw, the researchers noted.

The assessment reportedly compared four straw types: paper, conventional plastic, biodegradable plastic and bio-based polyethylene, or bio-PE.

Researchers assessed 16 environmental impacts, assuming about 74% of discarded straws were incinerated and 26% went to landfills, based on South Korean waste statistics.

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Conventional plastic straws performed best in 10 of the 16 environmental categories, but no straw type came out ahead in every category.

The study did not measure whether chemicals leach from straws into drinks and did not assess health outcomes among people who use them.

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Researchers recommended that stores provide disposable straws only upon request, according to The Korea Herald.

Lawmaker Kim Wi-sang, whose office received the report, later criticized plastic straw restrictions, arguing that alternatives had failed to deliver their promised environmental benefits.

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President Donald Trump has also criticized paper straws, calling them ineffective and arguing that they may pose health risks.

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In February 2025, he signed an executive order directing federal agencies to stop buying and providing paper straws and to develop a national strategy to end their use, according to a White House press release.

"I was tired of having straws melt in my mouth," Trump previously said.

Fox News Digital previously reported on health concerns raised by Florida lawmakers, including a 2023 University of Antwerp study that detected PFAS, or "forever chemicals," in 27 of 39 straw brands tested, most often in paper straws.

Separately, 360° Foodservice, a European food-service packaging association, previously said its member companies have a no-PFAS clause and set requirements for food-contact safety.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Foodservice Packaging Institute and 360° Foodservice for comment.

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