By By: The People News
Monrovia – Public health expert Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan says Liberia has no Hantavirus outbreak, moving to ease public concern following reports of a suspected outbreak linked to a cruise ship.
In a May 7 statement on his official Facebook page, Dr. Nyan said he received many inquiries from Liberians at home and abroad after international reports cited three deaths and more than 150 suspected cases connected to a cruise ship.
“There is NO Hantavirus outbreak in Liberia … don’t worry,” Dr. Nyan wrote. He added that the situation is not a pandemic and not an epidemic.
About the Virus
Dr. Nyan described Hantavirus as a single-stranded RNA virus in the Hantaviridae family. It is found worldwide and carried mainly by rodents such as rats and mice.
Transmission occurs primarily through inhaling aerosolized particles from rodent urine, saliva, or feces. Limited person-to-person transmission can occur in some cases, he said.
Symptoms include fever, chills, headaches, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle aches. If untreated for several weeks, infection can progress to Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS), which affects the lungs and sometimes the heart. Severe cases may involve respiratory distress, shortness of breath, kidney complications, hemorrhaging, and death.
Diagnosis uses clinical symptoms along with serology and molecular lab testing. Treatment is supportive and symptom-based.
“Reduce or eliminate contact with rodents,” Dr. Nyan advised. He repeated that there is no evidence of Hantavirus transmission in Liberia and urged the public not to panic.
Dr. Nyan said West African health institutions are prepared to detect and respond to infectious disease threats. The West African Health Organization (WAHO) and the Africa CDC Western Region continue to monitor developments and are positioned to contain potential outbreaks.
He added that standard public health interventions are being applied wherever the affected cruise ship is located.
For about 12 years, Dr. Nyan has worked on outbreak response, including Ebola, Zika, COVID-19, and Mpox. As head of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia, his team has strengthened disease surveillance, research, and lab diagnostics, and helped control the Mpox outbreak using an improved One-Health platform.
Dr. Nyan thanked Liberians for their concern and noted he may not be able to respond individually to every inquiry on the Hantavirus issue.
Credit: The Analyst
