the orao virus a potentially fatal disease also referred to as sloth fever has made its way to the United States prompting questions about what Americans should know on Tuesday Florida's Health Department reported 30 cases of oroo fever in the state all linked to travel from Cuba there has also been one case reported in New York following travel in an update Tuesday the CDC said at least three of the initial cases reported in the US were hospitalized and that the agency is currently developing a plan for Rapid detection and response to the virus earlier this month the Centers for Disease Control and prevention issued a health advisory to notify clinicians and public health authorities of an increase in the virus between January 1st and August 1st 2024 more than 8,000 cases of oroo virus disease were reported including two deaths in five cases of vertical transmission associated with fetal death or congenital abnormalities the CDC alert stated adding countries reporting cases include Brazil Bolivia Peru Colombia in Cuba no evidence of local transmission currently exists within the United States or its territories the CDC added how is sloth fever transmitted orao virus is spread to people primarily by the bite of infected biting midg is a type of small fly and mosquitoes according to the CDC the virus is transmitted in forested areas between mosquitoes and non-human vertebrate hosts such as Birds rodents and sloths which is where its nickname is derived humans then become infected while visiting visiting these areas and can introduce the virus to Urban environments