Countrywide Spread and Spatiotemporal Diffusion Dynamics of Oropouche virus in Cuba, 2024
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Oropouche virus (OROV) was reported in Cuba in May 2024 and rapidly spread throughout the country. Among 147 RT-PCR-positive cases identified from May to July, we generated 39 whole-genome sequences. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all sequences formed a monophyletic cluster nested within the novel reassortant OROVBR-2015-2025, which has been circulating extensively in Brazil since the end of 2023. Additional analyses demonstrated that the Cuban sub-clade originated from a single viral introduction from the Brazilian state of Acre, probably in early February 2024, and circulated cryptically until its identification in May. The introduction likely occurred in the Central region of the country, from which the virus spread and established secondary transmission hubs in the Western and Eastern regions. These findings underscore the capacity of OROV to spread well beyond the Amazon region, which was considered its endemic area of circulation.
