The state of Pernambuco registered 59 new cases of oropouche fever this past Tuesday (16). According to the State Health Department of Pernambuco, the region now has 72 cases of the disease.
According to the department, the Central Laboratory of Pernambuco (Lacen-PE) identified the virus in patients from 14 municipalities: Jaqueira, Pombos, Palmares, Água Preta, Moreno, Xexéu, Maraial, Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Rio Formoso, Timbaúba, Itamaracá, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Catende and Camaragibe.
The laboratory performs the analyses using real-time PCR tests. Therefore, as soon as the results are negative for dengue, zika and chikungunya, the test for oropouche is performed. The entire procedure follows the guidelines of the Ministry of Health (MS).
Keila Paz, director of Lacen-PE, says that carrying out tests is essential and also warns of problems in laboratory surveillance.
“…[a vigilância] must work routinely to identify arboviruses circulating in the region, which are often underreported in public health surveillance systems,” he highlighted.
The general director of Environmental Surveillance at SES-PE, Eduardo Bezerra, stated that cases of the disease are concentrated in the Zona da Mata, which shows that the virus has a tendency to proliferate in more humid regions.
“The increase in cases may be related to the behavior that arboviruses already present in their seasonality, in addition to a greater sensitivity of municipalities in registering symptomatic people”, warned Bezerra.
Symptoms
Symptoms of the disease, which is transmitted by insects, are similar to those of dengue fever and last between two and seven days. They include:
- Sudden onset fever;
- Severe headache;
- Back pain, lower back pain and joint pain.
Additionally, infected patients may experience symptoms such as coughing, dizziness, pain behind the eyes, skin rashes, chills, photophobia, nausea, and vomiting.
To date, there is no specific treatment for the disease. Health authorities recommend rest and medical monitoring.
*Under supervision
Source: CNN Brasil
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