‘Sloth Fever’ spreads to Central Florida. What is it and where’s the outbreak?

ORLANDO, Fla. – Nearly a dozen cases of a new “Sloth Fever” virus have been reported in Florida over the last week, according to state health officials.

Among the cases, some have emerged in Central Florida.

WHAT IS IT?

The Oropouche virus, also known as “Sloth Fever,” was first identified in 1955 in Trinidad and Tobago, and the virus is currently endemic to the Amazon region.

However, the CDC reports that outbreaks of the virus began to pop up late last year in South America and the Caribbean.

Health officials explained that the virus is spread to humans via infected biting midges and some mosquito species. As a result, some travelers to affected areas like Cuba and Brazil have been identified as carrying the virus upon their return home.

The virus got its moniker because scientists who investigated the virus reportedly found it in a three-toed sloth, leading them to believe sloths played a vital role in spreading the virus between insects and other animals.

Thanks to the health risks the virus poses, the CDC has issued a travel health notice related to Sloth Fever for the following countries: Cuba, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru.

WHERE HAS IT SPREAD IN FLORIDA?

So far, the majority of Sloth Fever cases in the U.S. have been reported in Florida.

In its most recent surveillance report, the Florida Department of Health announced that 30 cases of Sloth Fever in the state have been reported this year by people who have traveled to Cuba.

Per the FDOH, the Florida counties reporting these cases were as follows:

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

While infection mainly causes fevers, the CDC notes that at least two patients with Sloth Fever have died (out of the over 8,000 total cases reported this year), and concerns are present about the potential impact on pregnancies.

According to the CDC, 21 U.S. travelers returning from Cuba who contracted Sloth Fever have reported the following symptoms:

• Fever — 95%

• Myalgia (Muscle Pain) — 86%

• Headache — 76%

• Fatigue — 62%

• Arthralgia (Joint Pain) — 57%

• Diarrhea — 48%

• Abdominal Pain — 29%

• Nausea/Vomiting — 29%

With the virus now having popped up in Central Florida, Orange County Mosquito Control is conducting daytime and nighttime sprays in local neighborhoods.

“The emergence of Oropouche Virus, even though the cases are travel-related, is a cause for concern,” Mosquito Control Manager Steve Harrison. “It highlights the interconnectedness of global health and the potential for mosquito-borne diseases to spread in other parts of the world. We have intensified our efforts to control mosquito populations and prevent the establishment of Oropouche virus, as we did to mitigate the spread of Dengue Fever. Our goal is to safeguard the health of Orange County residents and visitors.”

Orange County residents dealing with a mosquito issue at their home or in their community can get help from Mosquito Control by calling the county’s 311 hotline.

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