After exhaustive monitoring of the surveillance systems, Jorge Lastra Cantillo, Secretary of District Health, announced that the city of Santa Marta has not recorded any case of the Oropouche virus to date, offering some peace of mind to the Samarians.
The information was revealed in the middle of a report that details the findings of the National Institute of Health of Colombia, where 38 cases of Oropouche are confirmed in different regions of the country, however, the capital of Magdalena stands out as an exception, being one of the few areas where the presence of the virus has not been detected.
The majority of confirmed cases are concentrated in other areas of the country, such as Leticia (33), Puerto Careño (2), Florencia (1), Caquetá (1) and Meta (1), as reported by Lastra Cantillo, identified through a retrospective laboratory case-finding strategy based on dengue surveillance.
It should be noted that, so far in 2024, 5,193 confirmed cases of Oropouche have been reported in four countries in the Region of the Americas, specifically in the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Peru.
Regarding the distribution of cases by sex and age group, the Pan American Health Organization observed that 61% of the cases correspond to the male sex, and the majority of affected people are in the age group of 10 to 19 years old.
Lastra Cantillo also revealed that the Secretary of Health is carrying out epidemiological surveillance actions, aimed at searching for the identification of vectors and breeding sites in urban and rural areas. These actions focus on the characterization of offspring, as well as the location of the presence of individuals.
Given this situation, the Ministry of Health is implementing epidemiological surveillance actions, focused on the identification and elimination of vectors and breeding sites in both urban and rural areas. Lastra Cantillo called on citizens to promote protective measures, such as the use of clothing that covers exposed areas, the installation of awnings, the use of repellents and the elimination of stagnant water that could serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
It is important to note that, considering the recent cases of Oropouche fever in areas outside the Amazon region in Brazil, as well as the intense circulation of dengue in several countries in the Region of the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization Health urges Member States to strengthen surveillance and control measures to prevent the spread of these vector-borne diseases.
How does the virus behave?
During the first week of the illness, the main differential diagnosis is dengue infection. In the second week of the illness, the differential clinical diagnosis should consider the possibility of meningitis and encephalitis.
After an incubation period of 5 to 7 days, patients experience high fever, headache with photophobia, myalgias, arthralgias and, in some cases, rashes. In certain patients, symptoms may include vomiting and bleeding, manifesting as petechiae, epistaxis, and gingival bleeding. Generally, the infection resolves within 2 to 3 weeks, however, in rare situations, Orov can cause meningitis or encephalitis. In these cases, patients show neurological symptoms and signs such as vertigo, lethargy, nystagmus, and neck stiffness. The virus can be detected in the cerebrospinal fluid.
There are no vaccines
According to the Pan American Health Organization, there are currently no vaccines or specific antiviral medications available to prevent or treat OROV infection. The treatment approach is palliative, focused on relieving pain, rehydrating the patient, and controlling any vomiting that may occur. In situations where the disease manifests itself in a neuroinvasive manner, it will be necessary to admit the patient to specialized units that allow constant monitoring.
Origin of the Orov virus
In the Region of the Americas, the Oropouche Orov virus outbreaks recorded in the last ten years have taken place mainly in the Amazon region. Historically, numerous outbreaks of Orov disease have been described in rural and urban communities in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Panama, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Orov is transmitted to humans mainly through the bite of the Culicoides paratensis midge, which is present in the Region of the Americas, but can also be transmitted by the Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito (1-3).
Treatment and prevention
There is no specific treatment for Oropouche fever. The focus is on relieving symptoms, including using fever-reducing medications, maintaining adequate hydration, and rest.
Oropouche fever is not transmitted directly between people; A mosquito is necessary for transmission. After a symptom-free incubation period lasting four to eight days, they may appear.
It is important:
Use insect repellents.
Wear clothing treated with repellent.
Use anti-mosquito products.
Install mosquito nets on doors and windows.
Avoid wastewater.
Avoid abundant weeds.
id: 2,646
