JOHANNESBURG - Renowned bioinformatician and infectious disease expert Professor Tulio de Oliveira says South Africa’s advanced surveillance systems may be one of the reasons hantavirus patients were identified in the country.
Allaying public fears, De Oliveira says South Africa has strong expertise in managing pulmonary infections.
Health authorities have confirmed a rare hantavirus case involving a critically ill British national receiving treatment at a private hospital in Sandton. He is one of five suspected cases linked to an outbreak on a cruise ship that has left two people dead.
While the vessel was travelling past South African shores, some passengers developed severe complications initially believed to be acute respiratory infections.
READ | 'Low' risk to public of hantavirus after cruise ship deaths, WHO says
“We also have very strong systems for surveillance and facilities to deal with such patients,” De Oliveira told eNCA.
“We also have strong systems for treating patients with pulmonary infections. South Africa has very strong experience through dealing with pulmonary infection, mostly due to 20 to 30 years of very high TB rates.”
He added that there is no need for public panic, as hantavirus is not easily transmitted between humans.
“It is normally in close proximity, like husband and wife or people in proximity. That is one of the reasons we are not concerned that the two individuals who came to South Africa will cause a large train of transmission because the virus is very difficult to transmit between humans,” De Oliveira explained.
He said data from regions where the virus has circulated for decades shows relatively limited human-to-human spread.
“It is easily controlled by isolating patients. Despite being detected more widely in South America, it is a low prevalent virus that is unlikely to cause a big chain of transmission.”
The Health Department says it is working with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the Gauteng Health Department to conduct contact tracing.
This includes identifying and monitoring individuals who may have been exposed.
How hantavirus is transmitted
- Primarily through contact with infected wild rodents
- Inhalation of airborne particles from rodent urine or droppings
- Consuming food contaminated by rodent urine or droppings
- Rarely through bites or scratches
Early symptoms of hantavirus
- Fever and chills
- Headache and dizziness
- Intense muscle aches