Hantavirus: No worries of potential infection for average persons — WHO

By Sola Ogundipe

The average person has no reason to worry about potential hantavirus infection, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared.

The update comes just as the  Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC)  assured Nigerians that no case of Hantavirus has been recorded in the country following reports of the  ongoing cluster linked to a cruise ship travel.

According to epidemiologist and the team lead for Field and Humanitarian Epidemiology at the WHO, Dr. Boris Pavlin, “This Andes hantavirus has spread in limited amount from human to human, this is not COVID, this is not passing someone in a hallway in an airport outside at a stadium and getting infected.” 

He said investigation in the hantavirus infection cluster’s origin indicates “there’s absolutely every reason to believe that this came from rodents” and that it did not originate from the region the ship departed, but elsewhere in northern Argentina and Chile, where the long-tailed rice rat, which is the specific carrier of the Andes hantavirus strain, is common. 

Pavlin also confirmed that the first hantavirus cases on board the MV Hondius had previously traveled to this region in the north.

Pavlin additionally confirmed that no one on board was currently showing any symptoms but were “just being monitored as a precautionary measure.” 

On Saturday, WHO Director General, Dr.Tedros  Ghebreyesus  said concern was legitimate but assured local residents that the risk  is low  because of the nature of the disease. 

In a public health advisory the NCDC Director General, Dr Jide Idris, said Nigeria was closely monitoring the situation while maintaining surveillance for emerging infectious diseases.

The agency maintained that  reports indicate low risk to the general public even as the outbreak involved a limited number of confirmed and suspected cases 

Hantaviruses are a group of viruses primarily carried by rodents, with potential human risk infection through direct contact with infected rodents or exposure to their urine, droppings, saliva or contaminated dust particles.  

Human cases are most commonly reported in rural settings  where rodents are present, Symptoms include among others headache, dizziness, chills, and gastrointestinal symptoms. There is no specific cure for treatment focuses on early medical care and supportive therapy, including oxygen, mechanical ventilation. Early symptoms can resemble many other infections. 

Public health experts advise basic preventive measures such as keeping homes and food storage areas free of rodents, avoiding contact with rodent droppings, and using protective measures.

 rodents may have been present. Early medical evaluation is important if symptoms develop after possible exposure.

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