European travellers warned to beware of virus

People visiting South America have been warned to be cautious after sloth borne virus has been reported in travellers returning to Europe.

At the end of July, a total of 19 cases of the Oropouche virus (OROV) had been reported across Europe, and are the first cases ever to be reported in the continent. The cases are connected to travellers returning to Europe after visiting Latin America or the Caribbean, where cases of the disease are most commonly found. The cases reported in Europe were distributed amongst 3 countries, with 12 cases in Spain, 5 in Italy and 2 being noted in Germany. The number of cases reported in Spain is significantly higher than that of the other two countries but could well be attributed to the large number of Latin Americans living in the country (a population of over 3,000,000, according to a study by the Spanish National Institute of Statistics done at the end of 2021) making trips back to their homeland to visit family and friends.

On Aug 1 this year, some 8,078 cases of the OROV were reported across Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Brazil [The Lancet], and in July the virus claimed its first two recorded otherwise heathy victims, that is to say that the two young Brazilian women who sadly lost their lives to the disease had no underlying health issues that might make them more vulnerable.

European experts insist virus is not high risk for travellers but advise taking precautions

The Oropouche virus originated in sloths and is transmitted mainly via midge bites. Symptoms are very similar to those of dengue and Zika and include headaches, nausea, muscle pain, fever and a rash. Although the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) states that the risk of infection in EU residents visiting affected areas is considered to be low, travellers are advised to use a strong insect repellent containing permethrin and to wear clothes that cover the body as fully as possible, in order to reduce the risk of being bitten and infected with the disease. Pregnant women, meanwhile, are advised to seek medical advice prior to travelling.

As yet, no health warning has been issued to British travellers, however the ECDC remains vigilant, and any outbreaks of the virus will be registered on The National Travel Health Network and Centre´s (NaTHNaC) Outbreak Surveillance Data Base  [Natalie Wilson, The Independent, 14/08/2024].