Florida’s Leprosy Surge Explained | Richmond News

Florida hit a shocking record this year with 36 new Hansen’s disease cases — the highest since tracking began in 1992. Most cases clustered in Central Florida, with many acquired locally, raising alarms about whether the disease is becoming endemic in the state. Though rare nationwide, this spike raises urgent questions: could armadillos be involved? Or is it simply humans spreading it to each other? With symptoms taking decades to appear and treatment only effective if caught early, health officials are racing to understand what’s driving this outbreak — even as 17 new cases have already been reported this year alone. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ae8eb2cebb7da8c9