CDC issues level 2 health travel alert for CUBA following Oropouche virus outbreak
Key Points(5)
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 Travel health notice for individuals travelling to Cuba due to an outbreak of the Oropouche virus.
- A Level 2 Travel health notice means travelers should practice enhanced precautions for this destination.
- According to the <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/oropouche-cuba"><strong>travel notice </strong></a>issued on August 16, multiple cases of Oropouche have recently been reported in US and European travelers returning from travel to Cuba indicating there is ongoing risk.
- Oropouche is spread by the bite of infected midges (small flies) and mosquitoes.
- The CDC advises all travelers to take steps to prevent bug bites during travel, to protect themselves from infection.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 Travel health notice for individuals travelling to Cuba due to an outbreak of the Oropouche virus.
A Level 2 Travel health notice means travelers should practice enhanced precautions for this destination.
According to the travel notice issued on August 16, multiple cases of Oropouche have recently been reported in US and European travelers returning from travel to Cuba indicating there is ongoing risk.
Oropouche is spread by the bite of infected midges (small flies) and mosquitoes. The CDC advises all travelers to take steps to prevent bug bites during travel, to protect themselves from infection. It says pregnant people should reconsider non-essential travel to Cuba.
Symptoms of Oropouche include headache, fever, muscle aches, stiff joints, nausea, vomiting, chills, or sensitivity to light. Severe cases may result in neuroinvasive disease such as meningitis. Symptoms typically start 3–10 days after being bitten and last 3–6 days. Most people recover without long-term effects. There is no specific treatment for Oropouche.
The CDC says travelers who develop high fever, headache, muscle aches, stiff joints, nausea, vomiting, chills, or sensitivity to light during or within 2 weeks after travel should:
- Seek medical care immediately and tell their healthcare provider when and where they traveled. Learn how to seek medical care during travel.
- Not take aspirin or other NSAIDS (e.g., ibuprofen) to reduce the risk of bleeding.
- Continue to prevent bug bites during the first week of illness to avoid further spread in areas where mosquitoes or biting midges are active.
The CDC currently has a Level 1 Travel health notice for Oropouche virus for parts of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Peru, which reported cases, although the case numbers are declining.
