The Ministry of Health confirmed two deaths from Oropouche fever in Bahia. Until now, there had been no reports in the scientific literature worldwide of fatalities from the disease. The investigation of the cases was conducted by the Bahia State Health Department, which had already recorded the deaths but was awaiting confirmation from the Ministry of Health. The cases involved two women, aged 22 and 24, without comorbidities, in the cities of Camamu and Valença, respectively.

According to the ministry, the detection of cases was expanded nationwide in 2023, after the Ministry of Health provided diagnostic tests for the first time to the entire national network of Central Public Health Laboratories (Lacen). Until then, cases had been concentrated in the Northern region of Brazil. This year, 7,236 cases of Oropouche fever have been recorded in 20 Brazilian states. Most of them were reported in Amazonas and Rondônia.

An article signed by 20 specialists, in an initial version for review posted on July 16, analyzes the two deaths in Bahia and emphasizes the need for an active and efficient surveillance system to control the spread of the virus. According to the publication, the first death occurred on March 27 in Valença. The patient began experiencing symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, intense abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, retro-orbital pain, and vomiting on March 23.

The second patient developed symptoms such as fever, myalgia, headache, retro-orbital pain, lower limb pain, asthenia, and joint pain on June 5. Four days later, she developed a red rash and purple spots on her body, as well as bleeding from the nose, gums, and vagina.

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