How dangerous is it? First cases of Oropouche fever in Germany

Another new disease in Germany!

The first cases of Oropouche fever (OF) have been registered in Germany. Two people from Saxony and Baden-Württemberg, both of whom returned from Cuba, are affected, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced.

According to the experts, these are the first OF patients to become public in Germany. Both were infected in Cuba and developed fever, headaches, muscle, joint and limb pain during their stay abroad in late June and early July. Tests in Germany confirmed typical antibodies against the Oropouche virusAccording to the information, the course of the disease was uncomplicated in both patients.

Do we Germans have to be worried now?

Outbreaks of Oropouche fever have been increasing in South and Central America since the end of 2022. Brazil has already registered more than 7,000 laboratory-confirmed cases this year – and at least two deaths related to the virus.

“In Europe, only travel-associated cases have been reported so far,” writes the RKI. “Italy and Spain have reported a small number of cases in recent weeks among travelers returning from Cuba and Brazil.”

At the same time, the RKI has given the all-clear: the virus is transmitted primarily by special mosquitoes, which, however, do not exist in Europe, it continues. Transmission has not yet been observed in Europe, and it is unclear whether the virus could even be transmitted by a European mosquito species. Based on current knowledge, further spread in Germany is very unlikely, say the experts.