Since the last Disease Outbreak News on this event was published on 23 August 2024, three additional countries and one territory (Ecuador, Guyana, Panama and Cayman Island) have reported confirmed Oropouche virus disease in the Region of the Americas in 2024.
In addition, imported Oropouche cases have been reported from Canada, the United States of America and countries of the European Region. As of 25 November 2024, a total of 11 634 confirmed Oropouche cases, including two deaths, have been reported in the Region of the Americas, across ten countries and one territory: Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Peru and the United States of America.
Based on available information, WHO assesses the overall public health risk posed by this virus to be high at the regional level and low at the global level. As the arbovirus season is starting in the region, WHO urges countries at risk to strengthen epidemiological and entomological surveillance and to reinforce preventive measures in the population.
This is crucial due to the geographical expansion of the virus and the possible new vectors and transmission routes, including vertical transmission, that could affect both the general population and vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, their fetuses, and newborns.
