On March 26th local time, the Venezuelan government announced the discovery of 5 cases of Oropuche fever in the country in March, marking the first time in recent years that the disease has been detected. This news has attracted high attention in the field of public health.
Oropuche fever is caused by Oropuche virus, which is a single stranded RNA virus. According to the website of the World Health Organization, Oroqe fever is mainly transmitted through the bites of blood sucking vector insects such as mosquitoes and midges, and there is currently no record indicating that the virus can be directly transmitted between humans. However, in 2024, Brazil reported that fetuses may be infected with Oropuche virus through mothers who were infected during pregnancy.
The symptoms of Oroqe fever are similar to dengue fever. Patients may experience high fever, headache, muscle pain, rash, joint pain, and vomiting during the onset of the disease. The course of the disease usually lasts for 3 to 6 days, but up to 60% of cases may experience a brief recurrence. Some severe cases may also be accompanied by symptoms of meningitis.
Oroqe fever is not a newly emerging disease. In 1955, researchers first discovered the Oropuche virus in the village of Oropuche in Trinidad and Tobago. In recent years, Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago have all reported outbreaks of COVID-19. Among them, the epidemic situation in Brazil is particularly severe. On March 1, 2024, the government of Amazonas state in Brazil confirmed an outbreak of Oropuche fever within the state. As of August 3, 2024, from January 1 to July 30, 2024, five countries in the Americas have reported a total of 8078 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 7284 in Brazil, accounting for nearly 90%. In Brazil, 76% of cases occur in the Amazon region. On July 25, 2024 local time, the Brazilian Ministry of Health announced the confirmation of two deaths caused by Oroqe fever, marking the world's first discovery of a fatal case of Oroqe fever.
In view of the outbreak caused by Oroqe fever in some countries, and the fact that Venezuela has detected the case for the first time in recent years, public health experts call on relevant departments to strengthen monitoring and control of vector insects, improve public awareness of Oroqe fever, take personal protective measures, and prevent virus transmission. At the same time, health institutions should closely monitor the development trend of the epidemic and take effective response measures in a timely manner.
(Editer：admin)
