In Cuba, 35,000 cases were recorded in the first half of the year throughout the 15 provinces of the Island
14ymedio, Havana, 25 August 2024 — Authorities in Cuba, Brazil and Colombia are concerned about the outbreak of the Oropouche virus, a disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes and that, for the first time, has caused two deaths in Brazil. In other countries in the region, where there are still no data on patients with the virus, actions are being taken to prevent its proliferation.
In Cuba, cases have increased “considerably” since the first positives were confirmed on May 27, in the province of Santiago de Cuba, according to the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP). Reaching 35,000 cases in the first half of the year, as the authorities let slip during a television program last July.
Since then, according to the authorities, the cases have spread to the 15 provinces of the Island, and the sick already exceed 400, according to the officially recognized figures. The disease is present in all the provinces, and there are hundreds of complaints on social networks about people with symptoms. The Government describes the epidemiological situation as “complex” due to the simultaneous circulation of this pathogen with others, such as influenza and dengue fever.
The presence of the virus in the streets of Havana was revealed by 14ymedio, at the beginning of June, despite the silence of the authorities about the number of cases and the discomfort of the population. At the end of that same month, this newspaper reported the presence of Oropouche in 13 of the 15 provinces of the Island, which at that time contrasted with the Public Health data that officially counted only nine.
In Cuba, the Government describes the epidemiological situation as ‘complex’ and warns of the simultaneous circulation of this pathogen with others such as influenza and dengue fever
The sporadic torrential rains of the summer and the fuel crisis in Cuba, which makes fumigation impossible, have served as a breeding ground for the spread of the disease. To that are added the growing mountains of garbage on the streets – also due to lack of fuel and the vehicles to collect it – and the shortage of water.
In July 2024, the Pan American Health Organization issued an epidemiological alert over the increase in Oropouche virus in five Latin American countries: Bolivia, Peru, Cuba, Colombia and Brazil.
Brazil has recorded an unprecedented outbreak, with 7,767 cases of the disease this year, including the deaths of two women, aged 21 and 24, from the virus, with neither having comorbidities, according to health authorities.
Since 2023, the health authorities began to test for Oropouche by identifying numerous cases of people with symptoms similar to those of dengue, Zika and chikunguña, but who tested negative for these viruses. Most of the cases recorded in Brazil have been in the Amazon region and in Bahia.
In Colombia Oropouche is endemic in the Caribbean area, the Darién and the Amazon. Due to the constant surveillance for dengue, the country has been able to identify 87 positive samples so far in 2024, hidden in 1,279 samples of dengue febrile disease, according to data from the National Institute of Health (INS). The general director of the INS, Giovanny Rubiano García, said at the beginning of August that the measures for the prevention and control of the infection “remain active.”
Argentina, Mexico and Uruguay are increasing their controls against Oropouche
In Argentina, where no cases of the virus have been detected, epidemiological surveillance measures were reinforced in August, and the Health Department published a list of preventive indications.
These include the installation of “barrier methods” in homes, personal protection measures and a series of “good socio-environmental practices” such as the drainage of stagnant water.
So far In Mexico, no cases have been recorded, but on June 4, the Undersecretariat of Prevention and Health Promotion issued a preventive travel notice for Oropouche to people visiting Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Peru.
The document specified that the level of risk was medium, so it asked travelers who were thinking of visiting any of those countries to find out about the situation and have all the vaccines, in addition to protecting themselves against mosquito bites, wearing insect repellent and appropriate clothing. It also asked travelers to seek medical attention in case of having any symptoms up to 12 days after returning home.
At the moment, the Ministry of Public Health of Uruguay has not given detailed information regarding the virus. However, in recent days, the local newspaper El Observador reported that the ministry sent a statement to different health providers to investigate travel history in case of finding a suspicious case.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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