The World Health Organisation (WHO) has assured the public that the average person has little reason to fear contracting hantavirus, as global health authorities continue to monitor a recent outbreak linked to a cruise ship voyage in South America. The reassurance comes amid growing concern over a cluster of hantavirus infections connected to passengers aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. In Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said no case of hantavirus has been recorded in the country and that surveillance systems remain active.
Speaking on the outbreak, WHO epidemiologist and Team Lead for Field and Humanitarian Epidemiology, Dr. Boris Pavlin, stressed that the virus does not spread easily between humans.
“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.
Pavlin explained that investigations strongly suggest the outbreak originated from rodents rather than widespread human transmission. According to him, “there’s absolutely every reason to believe that this came from rodents,” particularly from northern Argentina and Chile where the long-tailed rice rat, known to carry the Andes hantavirus strain, is common.
He also confirmed that the first infected passengers aboard the MV Hondius had previously travelled through the affected regions in South America before boarding the ship. Health officials believe the exposure likely occurred before the voyage began.
The WHO further disclosed that no passengers currently aboard the cruise ship were showing symptoms of the disease. Pavlin noted that those on board were “just being monitored as a precautionary measure” while investigations continue.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had earlier acknowledged public concern surrounding the outbreak but maintained that the overall risk to local populations remains low because of the nature of the virus and its limited transmission pattern.
In a public health advisory, NCDC Director-General Jide Idris said Nigeria was closely monitoring developments around the outbreak while maintaining surveillance for emerging infectious diseases. The agency added that available reports suggest the threat to the wider public remains minimal despite confirmed and suspected cases linked to the cruise ship.
Hantaviruses are primarily carried by rodents and can infect humans through direct contact with infected animals or exposure to contaminated urine, saliva, droppings, or dust particles. Human infections are more commonly reported in rural areas where rodents are prevalent.
Health experts say symptoms may include headache, dizziness, chills and gastrointestinal complications, while severe cases can lead to respiratory illness or kidney disease. Although there is no specific cure, doctors say early medical attention and supportive care such as oxygen therapy and ventilation can improve outcomes. Public health authorities continue to advise preventive measures including proper hygiene, rodent control, avoiding contact with rodent waste and maintaining good ventilation in enclosed spaces.
