Dengue season: how to protect yourself and when to worry

With the rainy season here, dengue is back on the radar. Puerto Rico is coming off intense years — over 9,500 cases across 2024-2025 and a public-health emergency in 2024 — so prevention matters. ¹

How it spreads

Through the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which breeds in standing water around the home. ²

Kill the breeding sites (most effective)

• Empty anything holding water: tires, pots, buckets, lids, pet bowls.
• Cover cisterns and tanks; clear gutters.
• Change flower-vase water every few days.

Protect against bites

• Use repellent (DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus), screens on windows/doors, long sleeves at dawn/dusk.

When to seek help

Symptoms: fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle/joint pain, rash, nausea. ¹ With high fever, bleeding, severe abdominal pain or persistent vomiting, get care — and avoid aspirin/ibuprofen until dengue is ruled out.