Health Warning for Tourists on Spanish Islands Over New Fever
Holidaymakers traveling to the Canary Islands are being cautioned about the spread of sloth fever, a virus currently without a known cure. The popular British tourist destination has reported three cases of the disease, with infected individuals recently returning from Cuba. The cases 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, all testing positive for sloth fever, also known as Oropouche virus. This virus, previously confined to the Amazon basin in South America, has seen over 8,000 global cases since the beginning of 2024, including in Europe.
- People infected with sloth fever experienced fever, diarrhoea, and joint pain.
- Three more individuals are awaiting test results on the Canary Islands.
- Earlier cases in Italy involved individuals who had visited Cuba and later exhibited symptoms of the disease.
- The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported 19 recent cases in Europe.
The Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago close to Morocco, are home to 2.2 million residents across seven islands. Tenerife alone welcomes more than two million British visitors yearly. Symptoms of sloth fever include fever, diarrhoea, headaches, muscle soreness, high temperature, and joint stiffness. Dr. Philip Veal, a Travel Health Consultant, assures there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission of the virus in Europe. He recommends preventive measures such as using insect repellent, covering exposed skin, and sleeping under treated bed nets to avoid infections like sloth fever, dengue, Zika, and malaria.
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Key Points:
- Sloth fever cases reported in popular tourist destination, the Canary Islands.
- Virus, Oropouche virus, previously confined to Amazon basin, now global.
- Common symptoms include fever, diarrhoea, and joint pain.
- Preventive measures advised to avoid mosquito-borne infections.
Stay safe while travelling, and remember to take necessary precautions to protect yourself from potential health risks.