Bright sunshine and swaying palm trees on an exotic beach in South America may sound like the perfect vacation, but for some tourists, their summer adventure brought home more than just beautiful memories.
This summer, 19 Europeans returned home with an unexpected souvenir: an infection with the Oropouche virus, a tropical pathogen that has now appeared in Spain, Italy, and Germany.
This information was reported by the Telegraph.
The affected travelers had recently visited Cuba and Brazil, where an outbreak of the virus led health authorities to issue warnings.
Symptoms of the Oropouche virus include fever, rash, headache, and muscle aches.
In severe cases, the disease can be deadly.
In Brazil, two young women died last month after being infected, marking the first recorded deaths from the virus worldwide.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) warns that Oropouche could be especially dangerous for pregnant women, as the virus may cause stillbirths and birth defects.
While most cases have been reported in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru are also affected, with the infection being widespread in Cuba as well.
The Oropouche virus is part of the arbovirus family, which includes the Zika virus and dengue fever. It is transmitted by small, biting insects commonly found in the rainforest.
