Brazil has reported the world’s first fatalities from the Oropouche virus, with two women from Bahia succumbing to the illness, the country's health ministry announced on Thursday. The women, both under 30 and previously healthy, exhibited symptoms similar to severe dengue fever.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that Oropouche outbreaks are currently ongoing in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru. Brazil has recorded 7,236 cases in 2024, with the majority in the states of Amazonas and Rondonia.
Oropouche virus symptoms typically manifest four to eight days after being bitten by infected flies or mosquitoes, lasting three to six days. The illness presents with fever, muscle aches, stiff joints, headaches, vomiting, nausea, chills, and light sensitivity, and severe cases can lead to life-threatening complications like meningitis.
First identified in Brazil in 1960, the virus has predominantly affected the Amazon region but has also seen outbreaks and isolated cases in other parts of Latin America.
