The World Health Organization (WHO) released an alert Friday over the outbreak of Oropouche virus (OROV) spreading throughout the Americas.
There have been two known deaths and 8,078 confirmed cases of the midge-borne virus throughout the Americas, including Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Cuba by mid-July, according to WHO. Some of these regions had no previous recognized history of OROV outbreaks, while others identified potential vertical transmission. Several fetal deaths and miscarriages have also been attributed to the outbreak, which WHO warns poses a high risk to the public on a regional level.
The virus is described as “emerging and poorly identified” and may be spreading beyond historical ranges due to deforestation and extended urbanization.
Ancient Roman Skeleton Reveals Secrets Of Malaria’s Entry To Europe https://t.co/RKOu22avze pic.twitter.com/7ilVuX8m87
— Nevada RLC (@NevadaRLC) March 14, 2024
Alerts over the spread of OROV hit Europe in early August after 19 imported cases were reported throughout the continent. (RELATED: Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Released To Fight Deadly Disease)
OROV is a Zika– or Dengue-like virus that is believed to cause stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, microcephaly and other fetal deaths, according to WHO. Cases may be underreported throughout the Americas due to the ongoing outbreak of Dengue fever.
Symptoms include fever, headache, joint pain, chill, nausea and vomiting for up to seven days. Roughly 60% of cases have relapsing symptoms after the fever breaks. In extreme cases, OROV can result in aseptic meningitis. There is no antiviral treatment or vaccine at the time of writing.