Sand fly outbreak confirmed in Republika Srpska

Sandflies are the vector of Oropouche fever. Learn about the most important symptoms of the disease

Attention residents of the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul! The state’s health surveillance center has confirmed that the sand fly that has spread in the area is a Culicoides paraensis, which is capable of transmitting Oropouche Fever.

Image: Federal Pharmacy Council/Reproduction/Porto Alegre 24h

Although there are no confirmed cases of the disease in the state, the presence of the mosquito vector requires attention and preventive measures. Samples of the insect were collected in Mambituba and Três Forquílhas, but there are records of its presence in other cities, such as Dom Pedro de Alcántara, Itate, Maciní and Terra de Areia.

Watch for symptoms of Oropouche fever:

High temperature;

Joint and muscle pain.

headache;

Vomiting and nausea;

Red spots on the skin.

Oropouche fever is a disease caused by the arbovirus Orthobunyavirus Oropoucheense (OROV), which was first identified in Brazil in 1960. Since then, isolated cases and outbreaks have been reported, mainly in the Amazon region. There have also been records of the disease in Panama, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. As the investigation of the disease expands in the country, 7,044 cases have been confirmed, with local transmission in 16 states.