First cases of Brazilian virus 'Sloth' fever found in Europe as experts fear outbreak

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A deadly virus from Brazil has hit Europe for the first time sparking fears among experts of an 'unstoppable' outbreak.Oropouche, known as 'sloth fever', has been discovered in Italy, after two people who visited Cuba were admitted to hospitals showing symptoms of the disease, The Lancet Reports.A 26-year-old woman was struck down with fever and diarrhoea after her trip to Cuba's Ciego de Avila province, returning to Verona on May 26.Meanwhile, a 45-year-old man began experiencing symptoms shortly after his summer travels to Havana and Santiago de Cuba, seeking medical attention in Fori, northern Italy, on June 7.Dr Danny Altmann, Professor of Immunology at Imperial College London, voiced his concerns to The Telegraph: "We should definitely be worried," he said. "Things are changing and may become unstoppable."It comes as Brazil reported the first fatalities from the virus worldwide, with two young women struck down by the bug.The victims, a 21-year-old and a 24-year-old, suffered from intense abdominal pain, bleeding, and hypotension before passing away on July 25.

Oropouche fever symptoms, which are akin to dengue, include headaches, high temperature, muscle soreness, joint stiffness, nausea, vomiting, colds, or photophobia, The Mirror reports.

The threat is compounded by the potential impact of global warming, which could increase human exposure to viruses like Oropouche , Birmingham Live reports.

In severe instances, the horrid illness could lead to neurological disorders such as meningitis. Dr Concetta Castilletti, who leads the Virology and Emerging Pathogens Unit at a hospital near Verona, said, "Arboviruses such as Oropouche fever, Dengue, Zika, or Chikungunya, constitute one of the public health emergencies we