A Carson Center investigation determined that Darién is the main focus of the Oropouche virus in Central America, with a 43% positivity rate among 1,040 people tested during the outbreak.
The study reconstructed the virus’s route to Panama, suggesting a single recent introduction around October 2024, with variants related to lineages from Brazil, Bolivia, and Cuba. A secondary attack rate of 56% was identified within households, and the burning of waste was identified as a predictor of transmission.
The risk in Bocas del Toro and Los Santos provinces is highlighted. The most recent epidemiological surveillance data from 2026 show a significant reduction, with five cumulative national cases and zero new cases in epidemiological week 10, compared to 223 cumulative cases in 2025.
