Alert in Matanzas due to cases of fever and diarrhea in the face of the Oropouche virus emergency.

The province of Matanzas activated an alert to monitor cases of fever and diarrhea after the confirmation of the presence of the Oropouche virus in Cuban territory, an emerging disease in the Americas.

Dr. Amancio Martínez Morejón, deputy director of the Provincial Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of Matanzas, told Girón newspaper that in the province several municipalities are experiencing an increase in symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, which are associated with the disease, but no cases have been confirmed.

The Oropouche virus has an incubation period of five to seven days, with symptoms similar to dengue, such as myalgia (muscle pain), arthralgia (joint pain), headache, and photophobia (sensitivity to light). So far, there have been no severe cases or deaths due to this cause. It is transmitted by the bites of midges and the Culex mosquito, which thrives in poor hygienic conditions," explained Martinez Morejon.

The specialist called on the population to take preventive measures, especially to undergo self-isolation, to avoid contagion.

He said that although the first cases of Oropouche fever have been diagnosed in health areas in Santiago de Cuba, "the conditions are in place for the virus to appear in Matanzas due to our multiple exchange relationships," warned the doctor.

It adds that with the increase in temperatures and the beginning of the cyclonic and rainy season starting in June, a proliferation of vectors such as mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, and mice is expected, which could increase the conditions caused by these insects.