By Ojoma Akor
The Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says there is no evidence of Hantavirus cases in Nigeria.
Director General of the agency, Dr. Jide Idris, in a public health advisory on Friday, said the agency is also closely monitoring the situation and maintaining surveillance for emerging infectious diseases.
The advisory followed recent reports of an ongoing Hantavirus cluster linked to a cruise ship travel involving multiple countries.
The NCDC DG said the event involves a limited number of confirmed and suspected cases associated with the cruise ship, adding that investigations and contact tracing are ongoing.
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses primarily carried by rodents. Humans may become infected through contact with infected rodents or exposure to their urine, droppings, saliva, or contaminated dust particles.
Symptoms may include: Fever, fatigue, body aches, headache, gastrointestinal symptoms, and, in severe cases, difficulty breathing and respiratory complications.
While some forms of Hantavirus infection can cause severe illness, the disease remains relatively rare.
According to the NCDC, the current cluster has been linked to the Andes virus strain, for which limited human-to-human transmission has previously been documented, particularly through close contact.
Dr Idris added that current reports indicate that the overall risk to the general public remains low.
