Malaria Outbreak in Florida Raises Concerns for Local Residents

Residents in Sarasota County, Florida, are reacting to a malaria outbreak, with some remaining unaware or unfazed by the cases. The outbreak, which has seen four confirmed cases and a possible fifth under investigation, has prompted health officials to advise residents to use bug spray, avoid mosquito-populated areas, and wear protective clothing. However, some residents, like Jean Abrams, who is unhoused and unable to afford protection, are unaware of the outbreak. Others, like Ken Hixon and Alton Ayers, believe the cases are caused by an increase in travel and are not concerned. Local officials have confirmed that the cases were locally transmitted, likely through an asymptomatic carrier who contracted malaria from another country and was bitten by a mosquito in Sarasota.