MS says that Roraima has 18 probable cases of Oropouche Fever and Sesau disputes data

At the beginning of this month, the Ministry of Health released Weekly Report nº9, from April 9th ​​to 14th, which identified 18 possible cases of Oropouche Fever in Roraima. The disease has seen an alarming increase in cases throughout Brazil, but the Department of Health (Sesau) says that the number does not match the number recorded in the State, which would be just six cases.

In the Ministry of Health Report, the country recorded around 3,300 probable cases of the disease since the beginning of the year. The number is higher than that recorded in 2023, which had 832 cases throughout the year.

The Amazon region is one of the most affected by the disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes similar to dengue fever. In the state of Amazonas, more than 2 thousand cases were registered at the beginning of the year alone.

The report contacted Sesau to find out about the 18 cases registered here in Roraima. However, the secretariat reported that the number reported does not match the reality in the state.

Cases of Oropouche Fever in Roraima

The Department of Health, through the Yellow Fever and Dengue Control Center, reported that 6 cases of Oropouche Fever were recorded in Roraima in 2024, while in 2023 153 cases of the disease were recorded, and 2 cases in 2022.

By municipality, the data were as follows:

Regarding the data provided by the Ministry of Health, Sesau reported the following:

Sesau further clarifies that the General Coordination of Health Surveillance standardized the surveillance of Oropouche Fever in the state of Roraima, with the elaboration and dissemination of standards and routines for the surveillance and control of Oropouche Fever, through Technical Note 001/NCFAD/ DVE/CGVS/SESAU of March 16, 2023.

Regarding the number of cases released by the Ministry of Health, 18 cases, NCFAD has already contacted the technical area of ​​the General Coordination of Arboviruses of the ministerial body, requesting clarification regarding the number reported, since in official information sources (Bank data from the Roraima Central Public Health Laboratory and the Notifiable Diseases Information System) do not contain such information.

NCFAD continues to await feedback from the Ministry of Health.

Department of Health (Sesau)

What is Oropouche Fever?

First identified in the 1960s in a wild animal, the oropouche fever virus is endemic in the Amazon region. Transmission to humans occurs through the bite of insects, such as Culicoides paraensis, also known as maruim or sandfly.

This insect is dark in color, and its bite is usually quite painful, causing itching and even bruising. The bite is quite different from that associated with the dengue mosquito, for example.

However, the species Culex quinquefasciatus, Coquilletti diavenezuelensis and Aedes serratus can also carry the virus that causes oropouche fever, according to the Ministry of Health.