On Aug. 23, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported an outbreak of Oropouche virus (OROV) in the WHO Region of the Americas – a febrile disease spread primarily through the bite of an insect known as a midge (Culicoides paraensis).

As of 20 July 2024, a total of 8m078 confirmed Oropouche cases, including two deaths, had been reported across five countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru. Brazil had also reported one fetal death and one miscarriage in the state of Pernambuco, as well as four cases of newborns with microcephaly possibly related to OROV infection.

Since Oropouche virus disease is an emerging and poorly identified arbovirus in the Americas, the detection of a positive sample and confirmation of a case requires the use of Annex 2 of the International Health Regulations (IHR) and its consequent notification through the established channels of the IHR. OROV has been historically transmitted in the Amazon region.