The Darién is the Epicenter of the Oropouche Virus in Central America According to a Recent Study
Oropouche virus is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of the sand fly (Culicoides paraensis) and Culex mosquitoes.
The Darien province concentrated the first major documented outbreak of the Oropouche virus in Central America and was identified as a key territory to detect and anticipate the future expansion of this disease to other countries in the region, according to a scientific investigation led by the Carson Center for Health and Ecosystems Research, in collaboration with the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies (Icges), the Ministry of Health (Minsa), the Institute of Scientific Research and High Technology Services (Indicasat AIP), among other institutions.
A study led by the Carson Center determined that Darién is the main epicenter of the Oropouche virus in Central America. The study traced the virus’s route to Panama and warned of the risk in Bocas del Toro and Los Santos. Jean-Paul Carrera, a Panamanian researcher, CEO, and founder of the Carson Center, explained that the Oropouche virus spread through several countries in the Americas during 2024 and registered one of its highest peaks in Brazil in January of that year. However, the Darién Gap migration corridor did not report any outbreaks until almost twelve months later, a situation that raised questions among scientists.
At a Glance
- Adult female Culex mosquitoes lay eggs on the surface of fresh or stagnant water.
- Larvae hatch from mosquito eggs and live in water then develop into pupae.
- Pupae develop into adult, flying mosquitoes.
- Adult female mosquitoes bite people and animals.
- Mosquito control helps decrease the number of Culex mosquitoes that could spread viruses to people.
