SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — Health officials are working to confirm another suspected case of malaria in Sarasota County.
The county, which is still in a mosquito-born illness alert status, already has six confirmed cases of malaria that are believed to be transmitted in the local area, the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota said in a news release.
The seventh suspect case is still being investigated, but officials say they anticipate it will be confirmed early this week and will be posted on Florida's weekly arboviral report on Tuesday.
"Our overall message for the community continues to be prevention by avoiding mosquito bites through the use of repellents, clothing that covers and reduction of outside exposure from dusk to dawn," FDOH in Sarasota said in a statement.
Health officials say two of the six confirmed cases were detected in homeless people, and that all cases were reported in the North Sarasota area.
There is reportedly a strong focus by officials near the neighborhood of DeSoto Acres and Kensington Park to monitor mosquito activity and potential malaria cases.
Health officials advise that if you begin to feel symptoms of malaria like fever, chills, headaches and other flu-like symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately. This latest outbreak of malaria is the first local spread in 20 years. In 2003, eight cases were reported in Palm Beach County and all originated within the local mosquito population.
10 Tampa Bay's Adaure Achumba contributed to this report.