Florida health officials are raising the alarm about two mosquito-borne diseases that have shown up in the state.

The Florida Department of Health stated in its latest weekly report that 24 cases of potentially fatal Dengue Fever have been found in the state along with 18 cases of the extremely painful Chikungunya virus.  Both diseases are viral and spread through mosquito bites.

All of the infected people reportedly traveled through the Caribbean or South America and most likely were infected during their travels.  However, the health officials cannot confirm they did not contract the virus from a domestic mosquito bite.

“The threat is greater than I’ve seen in my lifetime,” said Walter Tabachnick, director of the Florida Medical Entomological Laboratory and 30-year veteran of epidemiology.  “Sooner or later, our mosquitoes will pick it up and transmit it to us. That is the imminent threat.”

Health officials are asking residents to work with local governments to eliminate areas where mosquitos breed.  This includes elimination of standing water such as in buckets and rain barrels.

“If there is public apathy and people don’t clean up the yards, we’re going to have a problem,” Tabachnick said.