The World Health Organisation has assured that the average person has no reason to worry about potential hantavirus infection, stating that the public risk remains low despite recent reports of a small cluster linked to cruise ship travel.
The clarification comes as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that no case of hantavirus has been recorded in Nigeria, even as global health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
According to WHO epidemiologist and Field and Humanitarian Epidemiology team lead, Boris Pavlin, the current outbreak involves the Andes hantavirus strain and is linked to exposure to rodents, not casual human to human transmission.
He explained that the virus does not spread in everyday public settings such as airports, stadiums or crowded halls, stressing that transmission requires specific contact with infected rodent sources or contaminated materials.
Pavlin noted that investigations indicate the infection likely originated from regions in northern Argentina and Chile, where the long tailed rice rat, a known carrier of the Andes hantavirus, is common. He also confirmed that initial cases on board the MV Hondius cruise ship had previously traveled to those regions.
WHO Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, also stated that while concerns about the outbreak are understandable, the overall risk to the public remains low given the nature of the disease.
The advisory aligns with updates from Nigeria, where public health authorities continue to monitor emerging infectious disease threats.
In a statement, the Director General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, said Nigeria is maintaining active surveillance but emphasized that current reports show no immediate threat to the population.
Health experts explained that hantaviruses are primarily carried by rodents and can infect humans through direct contact with infected animals or exposure to urine, droppings, saliva or contaminated dust.
The disease is more commonly reported in rural areas where human contact with rodents is higher. Symptoms may include fever, headache, dizziness, chills and gastrointestinal issues, and in severe cases may progress to respiratory complications.
Medical professionals stress that there is no specific cure, but early treatment and supportive care such as oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation significantly improve outcomes.
Public health authorities continue to advise preventive measures including maintaining clean environments, proper food storage, avoiding rodent infestations and seeking early medical attention if symptoms develop after possible exposure.
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