Cases of Oropouche fever jump from 4 to 72 in Minas Gerais in less than a week

The number of cases of Oropouche fever jumped from 4 to 72 in Minas Gerais in less than a week.

Four cases of the disease had been identified until last week. This Tuesday (4), the Secretary of State for Health, Fábio Baccheretti confirmed that the number jumped to 72 positive diagnoses.

Baccheretti held a press conference to clarify the panorama of oropouche fever (FO) in the state. According to him, cases were identified by the Central Public Health Laboratory (Lacen-MG), of the Ezequiel Dias Foundation (FUNED). The samples analyzed in May were collected between March and April 2024 and had shown undetectable results for dengue, zika and chikungunya.

According to the secretary, the disease has been circulating in Brazil since the 1960s, but was only identified this year in Minas Gerais, through the expansion of epidemiological surveillance.

“The good news is that, apparently, this is a less lethal disease…. The symptoms are very similar to dengue and chikungunya. No deaths were reported in Brazil or hospitalizations for serious cases”, he informed.

“Positive cases were identified in neighboring states this year, especially in Bahia and Espírito Santo and, with these cases close, we added the oropouche virus to the viral panel test. We have already had 72 confirmed cases so far, and, with the new testing routine, we will have new diagnoses”, highlighted the secretary.

As an active surveillance strategy, the oropouche virus was researched in samples collected in municipalities from 14 of the 28 Regional Health Units (URS) in the state: Barbacena, Belo Horizonte, Coronel Fabriciano, Divinópolis, Governador Valadares, Januária, Manhuaçu, Montes Claros , Passos, Patos de Minas, Pouso Alegre, Teófilo Otoni, Uberaba and Uberlândia.

“The disease has probably been circulating in the state since last year, when we had many confirmed cases of chikungunya, especially in the North region. Perhaps some of these cases were oropouche fever, but testing for the condition was not carried out at the time”, explained Fábio Baccheretti.

According to the results, the majority of positive cases are linked to the East and Vale do Aço regions of the state and therefore surveillance of the disease in these territories has been intensified.

“But we maintain the prevention recommendation as it is important for everyone to adopt the necessary care at home”, he points out.

According to Funed’s viral panel, cases were identified in the following Regional Health Units:

* 1 case in Congonhas – URS Barbacena

* 1 case in Gonzaga – URS Governador Valadares

* 2 cases in Ipatinga – URS Coronel Fabriciano

* 26 cases in Coronel Fabriciano – URS Coronel Fabriciano

* 30 cases in Joanesia – URS Coronel Fabriciano

* 1 case in Mariléia – URS Coronel Fabriciano

* 11 cases in Timóteo – URS Coronel Fabriciano

* Three other cases were identified in the URS of Belo Horizonte, but they were imported from Santa Catarina, and have already been notified to the state.