Fever, Headache, Muscle Pain, Joint Pain Symptoms Appear
8,078 Cases Confirmed in 5 South American Countries... 2 Deaths Reported
The Oropouche virus is spreading in South America, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to urge caution among travelers and others.
Oropouche fever, a viral disease primarily transmitted by mosquito bites, is spreading in South America, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to advise travelers to exercise caution. Oropouche fever is caused by the Oropouche virus, which is transmitted through bites from infected mosquitoes and midges, leading to symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, and joint pain. [Photo by Yonhap News]
On the 26th (local time), WHO reported that as of last month, there have been 8,078 confirmed cases of Oropouche fever in five South American countries since 2023. The countries with confirmed outbreaks include Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Peru, and Bolivia, with two reported deaths.
Oropouche fever is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes and midges infected with the Oropouche virus, causing symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, and joint pain.
Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment available, and no cases of human-to-human transmission have been confirmed. Its symptoms are similar to those of dengue fever and the Zika virus.
While Oropouche fever has been a common viral infection frequently occurring in the Brazilian Amazon region, WHO explained that positive cases have sharply increased this year in Latin American countries including Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Cuba.
In particular, countries like Bolivia, where no cases had previously been reported, have seen rapid spread with 160 confirmed cases and about 1,000 suspected cases just this year.
There have also been cases of vertical transmission of the disease to fetuses. In Brazil, one fetal death and one miscarriage have been reported, along with four cases of newborns with microcephaly believed to be related to the Oropouche virus.
Earlier this month, multiple cases of Oropouche fever were confirmed in Europe among travelers returning from South America. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) announced that 19 cases of Oropouche fever linked to travel to South America were confirmed in Spain, Italy, Germany, and other countries.
WHO explained, "The expansion of outbreaks, which were mainly confined to the Brazilian Amazon region, to other countries is presumed to be due to factors such as climate change, deforestation, and urbanization, which have created conditions for the disease to spread."
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