PUBLISHED : 31 Jul 2024 at 12:31
People arriving from Central or South America are advised to see a doctor if they have high fever, aches and chills after reports of the world’s first fatalities from oropouche fever, which is endemic to the region.
Health permanent secretary Opas Karnkawinpong issued the advice on Wednesday.
Brazil reported two deaths from oropouche fever on July 25, both women under 30 years of age living in Bahia state. They suffered severe symptoms, similar to dengue haemorrhagic fever.
The first cases of oropouche fever, a mosquito-transmitted arbovirus, were reported in Trinidad and Tobago in 1955 and it later spread with outbreaks in Central and South America. Brazil has reported the most cases, 7,236, but until July 25 there had been no reported fatalities from the disease.
There had been no outbreaks in Asia or other continents, Dr Opas said.
He said oropouche fever is caused by a virus spread by midges (Culicoides paraensis), but neither the virus nor those midges were found in Thailand.