Outbreak of Oropouche virus in Brazil should be a ‘wake-up call’, say experts.

The disease, spread by midges and mosquitoes, has been linked to two deaths as cases surge in previously unaffected areas.

Spread by midges and mosquitoes, cases of the Oropouche virus have increased in Brazil amid warnings that it ‘has the potential to emerge as a substantial threat’. Photograph: Sergey YAkovlev/Alamy

The deaths of two young women, miscarriages and birth defects in Brazil have been linked to Oropouche virus, a little-known disease spread by midges and mosquitoes. A surge in cases has been recorded in the country this year – 7,284, up from 832 in 2023. Many have been recorded in areas that have not previously seen the virus.. Read full article here (source).