Sloth Fever: What To Know About Potentially Dangerous Oropouche Virus After First Deaths
ForbesAUG 13 2024
Thousands of cases of the Oropouche virus, dubbed 'Sloth Fever,' have been reported around the world this year, including 21 in the US and 19 in Europe, all of whom are believed to have contracted the virus while traveling to Cuba and Brazil.
Sloth Fever comes from insects like midges and mosquitoes, who then transmit it when they bite animals including birds, rodents, sloths, and humans. Symptoms include fever, chills, headaches, sensitivity to light, and vomiting, among others.
Of the 8K cases reported globally this year, up from 832 last year, at least 20 have appeared in Florida and one in New York. The virus is endemic to South America and the Caribbean, with cases also found in Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia.
Not only are Sloth Fever and and Triple E viruse on the rise, but West Nile virus is also sweeping through the US. As more and more cases appear, people must take precautions including wearing long sleeve shirts and pants, using mosquito repellent, and getting rid of standing water.