Two worrisome new viruses are affecting travellers around the world, prompting warnings from medical experts.
Alarmed by the rapid spread of Mpox, the World Health Organization declared it a Health Emergency of International Concern on Thursday, but it has also identified an outbreak of the lesser known Oropauche virus, which was first detected in Europe and officials said this week that 19 cases had been imported from South America in June and July.
Asked about the spread of the Oropouche virus, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said: Smart Traveler The travel advisory is “under close review.”
“[This includes] “We regularly and carefully assess and provide updates on risks to Australians overseas,” the department said in a statement.
Tourists warned to avoid insects while traveling abroad
Oropouche (pronounced “Olopush”) The disease is spread by infected midges and mosquitoes, and the infected Europeans had recently returned from holidays in Cuba and Brazil.
The UK’s Health Security Agency has warned travellers to South America to avoid insect bites, saying pregnant women should be particularly careful.
“The midge that transmits the Oropouche virus is not currently established in Europe. It is found mainly in the Americas. There is no evidence that the virus can be transmitted from person to person,” said the agency’s Dr Philippe Veale.
Related: Australian airports identified as breeding grounds for invasive pathogens
Oropouche fever has been known about since 1955, but it’s only now coming into the spotlight after the virus spread to about 8,000 people and caused its first recorded deaths. Two women were confirmed to have died from the virus in Brazil in 2024, and other suspected cases are under investigation.
It’s speculated that the outbreak may have been triggered by heavy rains associated with climate change: rising temperatures are expected to eventually allow tropical diseases to take hold in new areas, including mainland Australia.
What are the symptoms of Oropouche virus?
Like Zika, the virus is thought to be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy and has been linked to miscarriage, abortion and fetal abnormalities.
The virus is rarely fatal, but symptoms often include nausea, fever with headache, vomiting, and muscle and joint pain.
“Given the relatively high numbers of travellers travelling between Europe and affected countries such as Brazil and Cuba, it is likely that we will continue to see isolated cases of Oropauche fever among travellers returning to Europe,” said Dr Benjamin Brennan, from the MRC Centre for Virus Research at the University of Glasgow.
Australians urged to watch out for MPOX symptoms as cases surge
On Friday morning, the New South Wales Health Department issued a warning, urging residents to “be on the lookout for symptoms of MPOX, which has recently seen an increase in infections and is primarily affecting men who have sex with men”.
Since early June, there have been 93 reported cases of MPOX in New South Wales. Prior to that, there had been only one case detected in 2024.
NSW Health Director of Health Protection Dr Jeremy MacAntalty said more than 15,000 cases of MPOX had been reported in Central Africa this year, many of them due to a new strain called lineage 1b that had not been detected in Australia.
“Following the recent increase in cases, NSW Health is urging people who may be at risk of MPOX to watch for symptoms,” Dr McCann-Oultey said.
“Mpox is spread through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual activity, and often appears as small, pimple-like skin lesions in hard-to-see areas such as the genitals, anus, and buttocks.”
“Some people may experience symptoms such as a mild fever, headache, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, mouth sores and rectal pain. Until the lesions clear up, Mpox can be infectious to others.”
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