Brazil Reports First Deaths from Oropouche Virus

Brazil has reported the world's first fatalities attributed to the Oropouche virus, with two women under 30 from Bahia succumbing to symptoms resembling severe dengue fever. The Brazilian Health Ministry confirmed a total of 7,236 cases of Oropouche infection this year, primarily in Amazonas and Rondonia states. Oropouche fever, a tropical viral illness transmitted by infected midges and mosquitoes, was first isolated in Brazil in 1960. Authorities are also investigating another suspected death in Santa Catarina and six potential cases of mother-to-child transmission resulting in fetal deaths. Symptoms typically last for three to six days and include fever, muscle aches, and joint stiffness. This development comes amid a severe dengue epidemic in Brazil, which has reported over 4,800 related deaths this year.