Nigeria's disease control agency ramps up monitoring efforts amid worldwide alarm over Hantavirus epidemic

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The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Jide Idris on Friday says the agency has intensified disease surveillance across the country following reports of an international Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel involving multiple countries.

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Idris, in a public health advisory sent to our correspondent , however reassured Nigerians that there is currently no confirmed case of Hantavirus in the country, stressing that the overall risk to the public remains low.

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According to him, the advisory became necessary due to growing global concern over the outbreak and the need for countries to remain vigilant against emerging infectious diseases.

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“The event involves a limited number of confirmed and suspected cases associated with the cruise ship, with investigations and contact tracing ongoing. Current reports indicate that the risk to the general public remains low,” Idris said.

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He explained that Hantaviruses are primarily spread through rodents and can infect humans through exposure to infected rodents, their urine, droppings, saliva, or contaminated dust particles.

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The NCDC boss noted that symptoms of the infection include fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, and in severe cases, respiratory complications and breathing difficulties.

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“While some forms of Hantavirus infection can cause severe illness, the disease remains relatively rare,” he said.

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Idris disclosed that the current cluster has been linked to the Andes virus strain, which has previously demonstrated limited human-to-human transmission, especially through close contact.

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Despite the global reports, he maintained that Nigeria had not recorded any case of the disease.

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“At this time, there is no evidence of Hantavirus cases in Nigeria. NCDC is closely monitoring the situation and maintaining surveillance for emerging infectious diseases,” he stated.

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He said the agency had activated enhanced surveillance measures as part of efforts to prevent possible importation and ensure early detection of any suspected case.

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The Director-General urged Nigerians to remain calm but vigilant by observing preventive health measures, especially those targeted at reducing contact with rodents.

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The NCDC advised residents to maintain clean surroundings, prevent rodent infestation, properly store food items, dispose of waste safely, avoid contact with rodents and their droppings, and maintain proper hand hygiene.

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It also recommended the use of protective measures while cleaning rodent-infested areas.

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“NCDC continues to maintain surveillance systems for epidemic-prone and emerging infectious diseases, most of which are zoonotic and often transmitted by animals such as bats and rodents. We will therefore continue to monitor global developments closely,” Idris added.

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The latest advisory comes as global health authorities continue to monitor emerging infectious disease threats amid increased international travel and cross-border movement, factors experts say heighten the risk of rapid disease spread across countries.

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