The first cases of Oropouche are reported in Villa Clara.

The authorities of Villa Clara reported the first cases of Oropouche fever in Villa Clara, specifically in the village of San Juan de los Yeras, in the municipality of Ranchuelo.

According to information shared on Facebook by Juan José Pulido López, director of Health for the province, the patients - he did not say how many - were confirmed by the Pedro Kourí Institute (IPK).

The manager pointed out that so far everyone is evolving satisfactorily and that there are no cases in other municipalities.

"Remember that although the symptoms of this disease are similar to dengue, it is necessary to see a doctor when symptoms are present," he emphasized.

Until May 27th, Villa Clara had not reported cases of the Oropouche virus (OROV) in the province, when the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) reported the presence of the disease in two areas of Santiago de Cuba.

Since then, the virus has been spreading to other territories such as Mayabeque, where Oropouche was detected in the municipality of San Nicolás, after its presence was reported not only in Santiago de Cuba but also in Cienfuegos.

Although the government insists that there have been no victims, last week a 22-year-old young man died in Santiago de Cuba who was admitted with Oropouche-like symptoms. The young man was from the II Frente municipality and was studying the fourth year of a Bachelor's degree in Pedagogy (Geography specialization) at the University of Oriente.

According to a neighbor who told independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, the young man arrived home from school feeling unwell, his mother took him to the Mayarí Arriba hospital, and the doctors told him he had nothing. The next day, he was urgently referred to Santiago, where he was admitted to therapy with a diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia.

The University of the East shared a post on Facebook expressing regret for the death of the young man, but without mentioning the cause of death.

On the other hand, in Sancti Spiritus, more than 500 febrile cases have been reported in the last seven days, and yet health authorities assured that there is no presence of the Oropouche virus in that area.

According to Dr. Carlos Ruiz Santos, director of the Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Microbiology in that territory, a protocol very similar to that of dengue is being implemented there, a disease which, in turn, reported 22 cases in the last week, with a higher presence in the municipalities of Yaguajay and Trinidad, according to the official newspaper, Escambray.