good evening I'm Mike Norris and you're watching tune in news TV tonight we bring you an important Health alert about an emerging viral threat that's causing concern among Health officials worldwide the orao virus a little known pathogen transmitted through insect bites has recently taken a deadly turn prompting Health authorities to sound the alarm as of August 1st over 8,000 cases of Oro virus infection have been reported this year with the majority occurring in South America however the virus is now spreading to Regions where it has never been seen before and numerous travel related infections have been documented in both the United States and Europe the Pan-American Health Organization a regional arm of the World Health Organization has issued an epidemiological alert regarding the Oro virus and has elevated the public health risk designation for the America is too high in their statement they emphasized that while the illness was previously considered mild the expanding Geographic reach and the emergence of more severe cases underscore the need for enhanced surveillance and a better understanding of potentially more serious manifestations the US Centers for Disease Control and prevention has also released a health advisory urging healthc Care Professionals and public health officials to be on high alert for new cases they've gone a step further recommending that pregnant women avoid traveling to areas affected by the virus as of Tuesday the C CDC reports that at least 21 Travelers returning to the US from Cuba have tested positive for the Oro virus but what exactly is the Oro virus named after a village in Trinidad in Tobago where it was first identified in 1955 this pathogen has been responsible for approximately 500,000 cases since its Discovery however our understanding of the illness remains limited with the lanet medical journal recently describing it as a mysterious threat in an editorial according to the CDC about 60% of those infected with the oropo virus exhibit symptoms these can be similar to those of den or zika infections including sudden onset of fever chills headaches muscle aches and Joint stiffness other potential symptoms include ey discomfort sensitivity to light nausea vomiting diarrhea fatigue and rashes in rare cases the virus can affect the nervous system leading to Serious conditions such as menitis or en sephtis the Oro virus belongs to a distinct family of viruses and is primarily spread by biting tiny flying insects often referred to as NOS these insects typically breed in tree holes banana plants and other vegetation the virus can also be transmitted by mosquitoes Health experts are particularly concerned about the virus's potential impact on pregnant women recent reports from Brazil have linked Oro virus infections during pregnancy to fetal deaths miscarriages and cases of micral in newborns climate change in deforestation are believed to be contributing factors to the spread of the Oro virus these environmental changes create more opportunities for people to interact with infected insects and raise the risk of transmission to new areas as we continue to monitor this emerging Health threat Health officials stress the importance of taking precautions to prevent insect bites when traveling to affected areas this includes using insect repellent wearing long sleeved shirts and pants and staying in accommodations with screens on Windows and Doors we'll be following this story closely and bringing you updates as more information becomes available this is Mike Norris reporting for tune in news TV [Music]