CNN A little-known disease spread by insect bites has turned deadly, and health officials are sounding the alarm.
More than 8,000 cases of Oropouche virus have been reported this year as of August 1. Most have been in South America, but infections are also spreading in countries where it hasn’t been seen before, and dozens of travel-related cases have been reported in the United States and Europe. The Pan American Health Organization, a regional arm of the World Health Organization, has issued an epidemiological alert for Oropouche virus and raised the public health risk level to “high” for the Americas region.
“Although the disease has historically been described as mild, the geographic spread in transmission and the detection of more severe cases underscore the need for increased surveillance and characterization of possible more severe manifestations,” the agency said in a statement.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also issued a health advisory warning health care providers and public health authorities to be on the lookout for new cases and recommending that pregnant women avoid travel to affected areas.
At least 21 US travelers returning from Cuba have tested positive for Oropouche virus, the CDC said Tuesday.