Bangkok
Thailand’s health authorities have intensified surveillance for hantavirus at airports, seaports, and other international entry points, even as officials stress that the threat to the country remains minimal.
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has enhanced screening protocols for incoming travelers, with particular attention paid to those arriving from South America, where a cluster of cases involving the Andes strain has drawn international notice. DDC Director-General Dr. Montien Kanasawat said no hantavirus infections have been detected in Thailand, but proactive measures are essential to maintain that record.
“We have increased monitoring of travelers from high-risk areas and strengthened inspections of cruise ships and other international transport,” Dr. Kanasawat stated. The enhanced protocols include more thorough health screenings for passengers and crew, close observation of any suspected cases aboard vessels, rigorous sanitation and rodent-control efforts on ships, and full readiness of personal protective equipment for frontline officials.
Leading virologist Prof. Dr. Yong Poovorawan, Head of the Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine, sought to reassure the public by explaining important differences between local and overseas strains.
“The hantavirus strains circulating in Thailand are distinct from the Andes strain currently reported in South America,” Prof. Poovorawan explained. He noted that the virus has been present in Thailand for more than four to five decades, yet infections have remained extremely rare. The pathogen is primarily carried by rodents and transmitted to humans through contact with contaminated urine, droppings, or saliva.
Common symptoms include high fever, muscle aches, headache, nausea, and vomiting. In severe cases, the illness can progress to kidney failure or serious respiratory problems. Human-to-human transmission is uncommon and has been mainly associated with the Andes strain in South America.
Thai health officials continue to explain that the country’s disease surveillance and emergency response systems are well prepared. The public has been advised against panic, with authorities adding that everyday risk inside Thailand is very low.
Travelers returning from areas with known hantavirus activity who develop flu-like symptoms after potential exposure to rodents are encouraged to seek medical care promptly and inform doctors of their travel history.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
