WITH THAT REPORT. STEVEN. YEAH, FOR NOW THOUGH, WE DO WANT TO GET TO A HEALTH ALERT RIGHT NOW. HEALTH OFFICIALS, THEY ARE ON ALERT FOR RISING CASES OF WHAT’S KNOWN AS SLOTH FEVER. LET’S GET TO OUR CALEB CALIFANO, WHO HAS MORE ON WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS. STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS REPORTED TEN NEW CASES. JUST LAST WEEK. WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION WHAT EXACTLY IS SLOTH FEVER? ORIGINATING FROM SLOTHS IN TRINIDAD IS ALSO KNOWN AS OROPOUCHE VIRUS. AND IS SPREAD PRIMARILY BY MOSQUITO BITES AND MIDGES. A SMALL FLY, IT CAUSES SYMPTOMS INCLUDING RASH, FATIGUE, VOMITING, AND NAUSEA. HOWEVER, MORE SEVERE CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN COUNTRIES LIKE BRAZIL. THE DISEASE IS USUALLY A PROBLEM IN PARTS OF SOUTH AMERICA, WHERE THE CERTAIN TYPES OF MOSQUITOES AND OTHER INSECTS CAN SPREAD. THE VIRUS. INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALISTS HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA TELL ME IT’S JUST ONE OF MULTIPLE ILLNESSES THAT SPREAD SIMILARLY AND HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS LIKE DENGUE OR ZIKA. SO IF PHYSICIANS SEE A PATIENT WHO ARE COMING FROM ONE OF THESE COUNTRIES THAT SEEM TO HAVE A BODY ACHES AND FEVER, THAT NOT ONLY SHOULD THEY BE THINKING OF DENGUE, THEY SHOULD ALSO BE THINKING OF OROPOUCHE VIRUS. INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL HAS BROUGHT CASES TO THE U.S., AND ALL CASES IN FLORIDA ARE TRAVEL RELATED. AGAIN, THERE HAVE BEEN TEN CASES JUST IN THE PAST WEEK, 30 CASES IN TOTAL HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE STATE THIS YEAR, INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE IN PALM BEACH COUNTY. FIVE CASES IN BROWARD AND UP TO 14 IN MIAMI-DADE. EXPERTS SAY IT’S IMPORTANT IF YOU ARE TRAVELING TO COUNTRIES WITH HIGH RATES OF SLOTH FEVER TO BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS WHENEVER OUTSIDE, SO YOU DON’T BRING IT BACK WHEN YOU’RE COMING HOME, KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOING TO TO AN AREA WHERE THE LIKELIHOOD OF COMING ACROSS ONE OF THESE VIRUSES AND BRINGING IT AS SOUVENIR IS VERY HIGH. CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO VACCINE OR ANTIVIRAL TREATMENT FOR SLOTH FEVER, AND EXPERTS SAY THE BEST WAY TO AVOID IT IS TO WEAR LONG SLEEVE CLOTHING AND WEAR BUG SPRA
Florida State Health officials report 10 cases of sloth fever within the past month
Updated: 3:00 PM EDT Aug 30, 2024
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Florida health officials have reported 10 new cases of sloth fever in the past week. Also known as the Oropouche virus, sloth fever originated from sloths in Trinidad and spreads primarily through mosquito bites and midges, a type of small fly.Symptoms include rash, fatigue, vomiting, and nausea, with more severe cases reported in countries like Brazil. The virus is typically found in parts of South America where specific mosquitoes and insects transmit the disease. Experts note that sloth fever shares similar symptoms with other illnesses like dengue and Zika, making it challenging to diagnose.International travel has brought the virus to the U.S., and all cases reported in Florida are travel-related. So far this year, 30 cases have been reported statewide, including one in Palm Beach County, five in Broward, and up to 14 in Miami-Dade County.Health experts advise travelers to high-risk countries to take extra precautions to avoid contracting the virus. There is currently no vaccine or antiviral treatment for sloth fever, so the best prevention is to wear bug spray and protective clothing when outdoors in affected areas.Top headlines:Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25 Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida health officials have reported 10 new cases of sloth fever in the past week. Also known as the Oropouche virus, sloth fever originated from sloths in Trinidad and spreads primarily through mosquito bites and midges, a type of small fly.
Symptoms include rash, fatigue, vomiting, and nausea, with more severe cases reported in countries like Brazil. The virus is typically found in parts of South America where specific mosquitoes and insects transmit the disease. Experts note that sloth fever shares similar symptoms with other illnesses like dengue and Zika, making it challenging to diagnose.
International travel has brought the virus to the U.S., and all cases reported in Florida are travel-related. So far this year, 30 cases have been reported statewide, including one in Palm Beach County, five in Broward, and up to 14 in Miami-Dade County.
Health experts advise travelers to high-risk countries to take extra precautions to avoid contracting the virus. There is currently no vaccine or antiviral treatment for sloth fever, so the best prevention is to wear bug spray and protective clothing when outdoors in affected areas.
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Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.