The Oropouche Virus, or “Sloth Virus,” as it is commonly known, has been reported for the first time in the United States and Europe. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 21 cases of the disease were identified as of mid-August of this year among US travelers coming back from Cuba. Most US cases have been limited to the states of Florida and New York.
Death from the Oropouche Virus is rather rare, but on some occasions, more serious symptoms of meningitis, encephalitis or bleeding have occurred. Though there is currently no vaccine for the virus, the best way to protect your body is to prevent infection to begin with. The CDC says that the disease is primarily spread through the bite of an infected biting midge, or some mosquitoes, and that preventing bites from these insects is the best way to prevent the disease. The symptoms of the virus can sometimes include fever, chills, severe headache, nausea and more – similar to the symptoms of malaria, dengue and Zika Virus. Some instances of vertical transmission of Oropouche from mother to child have been reported.
