With the number of reported Oropouche virus cases increasing in southern Brazil, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising people, especially those who are pregnant, against unnecessary travel to the region.
Since mid-October, Brazil has reported more than 1,300 cases of Oropouche. More than 98% of those cases have occurred in the southern coastal state of Espirito Santo, which is outside the expected geographic range of Oropouche virus transmission in the country. Espirito Santo had no known Oropouche cases in 2023.
With summer approaching in South America, the CDC added Espirito Santo to its list of level 2 travel health notices for Oropouche. A level 2 notice urges travelers to take enhanced precautions to prevent illness.
The emerging virus is spread by biting midges and certain mosquitoes. It is particularly concerning for pregnant people, as evidence suggests it can cause severe outcomes if passed to their fetus. Pregnant people should reconsider nonessential travel to areas with a level 2 travel health notice for Oropouche. If they must travel, officials urge them to follow recommendations strictly to prevent insect bites.
An outbreak of Oropouche virus began in late 2023 in certain South American countries and spread to the Caribbean, particularly Cuba, in 2024. While the number of cases is rising considerably faster and earlier than last year, the rest of Brazil remains under a level 1 travel health notice, which recommends usual precautions such as avoiding insect bites. Cases in other areas of the region have been decreasing, and the CDC also reduced the travel health notice for Cuba to a level 1.
Travel-associated cases among U.S. residents have been reported, but local transmission has not been detected in the United States. As of Dec. 3, 94 human cases of Oropouche virus have been reported in the United States, primarily in Florida.
Symptoms of Oropouche virus disease include abrupt fever, severe headache, chills, myalgia and arthralgia, according to the CDC. People also may experience photophobia, dizziness, retroorbital or eye pain, nausea/vomiting or a maculopapular rash that starts on the trunk and goes to the extremities. It is not uncommon for symptoms to recur days or weeks after initial onset. About 4% of patients develop neurological symptoms.
There are no vaccines for Oropouche. Everyone should protect themselves from insect bites, especially during travel to the Amazon basin, South America and the Caribbean and for three weeks after, according to the CDC.
Resources
- CDC information on preventing Oropouche
- CDC information complications of Oropouche and pregnancy
- Recommendations for health care providers about Oropouche
- Information for parents from HealthyChildren.org on preventing infections during pregnancy