The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that the average person has no reason to worry about potential hantavirus infection, following reports of a cluster linked to cruise ship travel.
This assurance comes as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) confirmed that no cases of the virus have been recorded within Nigeria.
Dr. Boris Pavlin, an epidemiologist and team lead for Field and Humanitarian Epidemiology at the WHO, clarified the nature of the virus to distinguish it from more easily transmissible diseases.
“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,” Dr. Pavlin explained.
Investigations into the recent cluster indicate that the infection likely originated from rodents rather than the region where the ship departed. The specific carrier, the long-tailed rice rat, is common in northern Argentina and Chile.
Dr. Pavlin confirmed that the initial cases on board the MV Hondius had previously traveled to these northern regions. He also noted that while passengers are being monitored as a precautionary measure, no one on board is currently exhibiting symptoms.
Experienced broadcast journalist with over 5 years of experience in reporting, multimedia editing, and storytelling across both traditional and digital media. I currently work with Vision FM 92.1 and Daily Frontier, where I report on security, conflict, and humanitarian issues, while also translating news into Hausa and Pidgin to reach wider audiences.
I also serve as a correspondent for Daily Frontier in Plateau and Benue States, Nigeria, covering security, conflict, and humanitarian developments in the region.
I hold a Diploma in Mass Communication from Adamawa State Polytechnic and a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from the National Open University of Nigeria.
