Health alert for an emerging disease
A disease that had gone unnoticed until now is becoming a major public health problem. More than 8,000 cases of the Oropuche virus have been recorded until August 1 this year, with a notable concentration in South America, but with a disturbing expansion into regions where it had not previously been detected, including – there are the United States and Europe.
The Pan American Health Organization takes action
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has issued a warning raising the level of health risk to ‘high’ for the region of the Americas. Although the disease has been considered mild in the past, the increase in serious cases and its geographical spread have forced the authorities to intensify surveillance and investigate possible complications.
Warnings for travelers and pregnant women
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a health advisory, urging medical professionals to be alert for possible new cases and recommending that pregnant women avoid travel to affected areas. Recently, at least 21 American travelers who returned from Cuba have tested positive for the virus.
An unknown virus with unknown consequences
Discovered in 1955 in Trinidad and Tobago, the Oropuche virus has caused approximately 500,000 infections over the years, but much is still unknown about the disease. The Lancet magazine has described it as a ‘mysterious threat’, and experts such as the CDC warn that around 60% of people affected have symptoms similar to those of dengue or Zika.
Symptoms and complications
Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, and muscle pain, with the possibility of more serious infections that can affect the nervous system. The most severe manifestations, although rare, can lead to meningitis or encephalitis, a situation that generates concern among healthcare professionals.
Modes of transmission and associated risks
The virus is spread mainly through insect bites, especially mosquitoes, and is endemic to the Amazon basin. Human interaction with infected natural environments, exacerbated by climate change and deforestation, increases the likelihood of infections in urban populations.
An expanding outbreak
The virus is currently spreading rapidly in countries such as Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Peru, with cases of local transmission reported. Although there is no evidence of local transmission in the United States, an increase in cases among people who have traveled to affected areas is documented.
The need for a global response
The current Oropuche virus situation demands a coordinated response at the international level. The health community must work together to better understand this unknown virus and implement effective prevention and control measures.
