Mouth sores can cause symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, muscle and joint pain.
Officials confirmed that the debilitating virus, which originates in sloths and is transmitted by midges, has been reported for the first time in Europe. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported that there were 19 imported cases of Oropouche virus in Europe in June and July. Spain had 12, Italy had five and Germany had two, according to the Manchester Evening News.
The virus is spread primarily through the bite of mosquitoes and other insects and originates from pink-throated sloths, non-human primates and birds.
There is currently no vaccine against the virus, which belongs to the same disease family as Zika and dengue.
Dr Danny Altman, professor of immunology at Imperial College London, told the Telegraph: “We should definitely be worried. Things are evolving and it may become unstoppable.”
Outbreaks of the virus have been reported so far in several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, with specific outbreaks recorded in 2024 in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and, most recently, Cuba.
Of the cases recorded in Europe, 18 are linked to recent travel to Cuba and one in Italy is linked to travel to Brazil.
Oropouche can cause symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle and joint pain, and sometimes more severe symptoms. These symptoms usually subside after four days. According to the ECDC, fatal outcomes are extremely rare, and recovery is common.
However, on July 25, The Lancet reported the first recorded cases of death from oropouche in Brazil, involving two young women with no underlying health conditions.
Between January and mid-July, more than 8,000 cases were reported in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Cuba.
Due to the high number of cases reported in the Americas, the ECDC has assessed the risk of infection as medium for EU citizens travelling to or residing in affected areas.
European authorities advise travellers to affected areas to take personal protective measures, such as using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long trousers, to reduce the risk of insect bites during outdoor activities and indoors.
