Ministry of Health confirms deaths from oropouche fever in Bahia

On Thursday (25) the Ministry of Health reported two deaths from oropouche fever in Brazil. According to the Ministry, until now there were no reports in the international scientific literature about the occurrence of deaths caused by the disease. As it is transmitted mainly through the mosquito known as “Maruim” or “Gunpowder Mosquito”, the symptoms are very similar to those of dengue, but are generally of low severity.

The confirmed deaths are of women from the interior of Bahia under the age of 30 without any type of comorbidity. They presented symptoms similar to a more severe case of dengue fever. The deaths from the disease occurred in May and June 2024, but several tests need to be carried out in order to confirm the cause of death.

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_{High fever caused by the virus (Photo: reproduction/Getty Images Embed/ simonlong)}

Investigations in Brazil

According to the Ministry of Health, in 2024, 7,236 cases of oropouche fever were registered in 20 states of Brazil, with the majority in Amazonas and Rondônia. The Ministry continues to investigate one death from the disease in Santa Catarina, Maranhão and in Pernambuco, the state Department of Health is investigating whether infection by the disease can cause the interruption of four pregnancies.

The discovery of cases was expanded to the whole of Brazil in 2023, after the ministry made available an unprecedented way of carrying out diagnostic tests for the entire national network. With this measure, cases that were found in the northern region of the country began to be identified in other Brazilian regions.

The oropouche fever

Because it is transmitted by mosquitoes after biting an infected person or animal, mosquitoes keep the virus in their blood for a few days and, when these insects bite another healthy person, they can pass the virus on to that person. According to the Ministry, the patient has two transmission cycles: the wild cycle, where animals such as sloths and monkeys are carriers of the virus, and the urban cycle, where humans are the main carriers of the virus.

The most common symptoms of the disease, according to the Ministry of Health, are headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, nausea and diarrhea. The diagnosis of oropouche fever involves a clinical, epidemiological and laboratory evaluation, but, in addition, cases of infection must be reported, as the disease is mandatory to be reported due to its epidemic potential and ability to mutate, and may represent a threat to public health.

Featured photo of the Maruim mosquito (Photo: reproduction/ Getty Images Embed/ Reimar Gaertner)