Europe hit by Brazil virus amid 'unstoppable' outbreak fears

Europe has been rocked by its first-ever cases of the 'sloth' fever Oropouche, igniting fears among public health experts about an "unstoppable" outbreak following deadly incidents in Brazil. Two individuals who had travelled to Cuba ended up in Italian hospitals suffering from the virus, according to a report by The Lancet.

A 26-year-old woman is said to have developed symptoms like a fever and diarrhoea after visiting Cuba's Ciego de Avila province; she returned to Verona on May 26. Additionally, a 45-year-old man reportedly fell ill with similar symptoms shortly after spending his summer in Havana and Santiago de Cuba and was subsequently treated in Fori, northern Italy, on June 7.

Imperial College London's Professor of Immunology, Dr Danny Altmann, shared his alarm with The Telegraph: "We should definitely be worried," he said. "Things are changing and may become unstoppable." The situation is exacerbated by global warming, which could boost the spread of viruses such as Oropouche. The illness can be severe, occasionally causing neurological disorders like meningitis, reports the Mirror.