The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning over the escalating outbreak of the Oropouche virus (OROV), a midge-borne disease that is rapidly spreading across the Americas.
The virus has already claimed two lives and infected 8,078 individuals in countries including Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and Cuba by mid-July.
According to the Daily Caller, the WHO has identified the virus as an "emerging and poorly identified" threat, which could be expanding beyond its historical ranges due to deforestation and urbanization. Some of the affected regions had no prior history of OROV outbreaks, while others have reported potential vertical transmission. The outbreak has also been linked to several fetal deaths and miscarriages, leading the WHO to declare it a high-risk public health concern on a regional level.
Similar to Zika or Dengue, OROV is believed to cause stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, microcephaly, and other fetal deaths. The WHO has suggested that the actual number of cases may be underreported due to the concurrent outbreak of Dengue fever in the Americas.
The virus manifests symptoms such as fever, headache, joint pain, chills, nausea, and vomiting that can last up to seven days. Approximately 60% of infected individuals experience relapsing symptoms after the fever subsides. In severe cases, OROV can lead to aseptic meningitis. As of now, there is no antiviral treatment or vaccine available for the virus.
The alarm over the spread of OROV reached Europe in early August, following the report of 19 imported cases across the continent. This escalating health crisis underscores the need for urgent action and research to combat the spread of this emerging and potentially devastating virus.
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