Warning over deadly virus in with no cure with cases in Canary Islands

UK doctors are being alerted to be vigilant for symptoms of a lethal virus, found in popular British holiday destinations such as the Canary Islands, which currently has no known cure. Several warnings have already been issued regarding the mosquito-borne propouche virus, also referred to as sloth fever.

The US Centers for Disease Control have now issued a warning mirrored here in the UK by the British Medical Journal. More than 8,000 cases of the disease have been reported worldwide this year, including across Europe, with three new cases identified in the Canary Islands.

According to the BMJ: "The first ever deaths from the disease were recorded this year and there has been a sharp increase in reported infections." For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter.

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They further noted: "The virus is now spreading far from the Amazon, where it is usually found in animals, and there is evidence of vertical transmission from women to their foetuses, possibly causing birth defects and stillbirths." The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has raised concerns about the illness affecting at least 19 Europeans, including individuals in Spain and Germany, in recent months, reports BristolLive. The latest individuals affected by the outbreak include a 36-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman from Tenerife, as well as a 52-year-old man from Gran Canaria.

Dr Enny Paixao, an associate professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "Several factors may explain the recent outbreak including enhanced surveillance, climate and environmental changes, and potential changes to the virus.

"Similarly to other vector-borne diseases, such as dengue, climate change may also be impacting oropouche virus expansion. Changes to temperature and precipitation can affect transmission. For example rising temperatures can enhance the rate of development of culicoides midges, one of the virus' main transmission vectors in South America alongside mosquitos."

Carolina Goncalves, superintendent pharmacist at Pharmica, added: "The term 'sloth fever' is a colloquial name that has emerged due to the virus being found in areas where sloths, which are known to carry a range of parasites and pathogens, are present.

"However the name is relatively misleading as it is spread by insect bites, not by direct contact with sloths. Common symptoms include a rash, headache, muscle or joint pain with weakness. Affected individuals will typically experience a fever illness three to eight days after infection."

Dr Paixao said: "There is much we still do not know about the oropouche virus but one of the main concerns arising from the current outbreak in South America is its potential harmful effects on unborn foetuses." Currently, there are no specific antiviral treatments or vaccines available for the oropouche virus. Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news.