Reports indicate an increase in leprosy cases in Florida

Florida has reported 17 cases of leprosy so far in 2026, primarily in the central region of the state, according to People.

The figure adds to a sustained upward trend that has made the Sunshine State the main focal point of the disease in the United States.

The figure comes after 2025 ended with 36 cases, the highest annual total since the Florida Department of Health began recording the disease in 1992, as reported by Univision.

The evolution is striking: the state went from just eight cases in 2022 to 23 in 2023; 20 in 2024; and 36 in 2025.