Health officials have issued an advisory for travelers returning from Central and South America, urging them to consult a doctor if they experience symptoms such as high fever, aches, and chills. The caution follows the first reported fatalities from Oropouche fever, a disease endemic to the region. Two recent fatalities in Brazil, both involving women under 30 from Bahia state, exhibited severe symptoms that resembled dengue hemorrhagic fever.
Oropouche fever was first identified in Trinidad and Tobago in 1955 and has since led to multiple outbreaks across Latin America, with Brazil recording the highest number of cases at 7,236. The recent deaths are the first known fatalities associated with the disease.
Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong clarified that Oropouche fever, transmitted by Culicoides biting midges, is not present in Thailand. He stated that the health advisory serves to inform the public about the disease and to ensure early detection and treatment in travelers who may have been exposed.
