NEW YORK (WPIX) – A case of the Oropouche virus, also known as sloth fever, was reported in New York, the state’s Department of Health confirmed Tuesday.
The virus commonly spreads through mosquito bites and has mostly been present in parts of South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
“The state has had one reported case of Oropouche virus, which has been identified as travel-related and did not originate in New York State. To protect patient confidentiality, we are not identifying the location,” a spokesperson for the health department said.
Why is it called Sloth Fever?
It’s sometimes called sloth fever because scientists who first investigated the virus found it in a three-toed sloth, which they believed was a major factor in spreading the virus between insects and animals.
What are the symptoms of the virus?
- sudden fever
- severe headache
- chills
- muscle aches
- joint pain
Other symptoms can include sensitivity to light, dizziness, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting and rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Symptoms are similar to such tropical diseases as dengue, Zika or malaria.
How do you treat the virus?
Currently, there are no vaccines to prevent infections. The CDC recommends resting, drinking fluids and using analgesics (pain-relieving drugs) and fever reducers.
Asprin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen should be avoided until dengue can be ruled out.
Can humans spread the disease?
The virus is spread to humans by mosquitos and other insect bites. Person-to-person transmission hasn’t been documented.
How long does the virus last?
Symptoms can last up to a week, but more than 60% of patients have reported reoccurring symptoms a few days or weeks after infection.
Most people recover from the virus, but Brazil announced two deaths in July. Before those deaths, there were no cases of sloth fever being deadly, according to the World Health Organization.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
