The Rwandan government has stepped up surveillance, border screening and public awareness efforts about hantavirus.

Health authorities say the country has no direct epidemiological link to the cruise ship MV Hondius, where cases of the rodent-born virus have been reported.

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The Ministry of Health and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) said they introduced enhanced monitoring for unexplained clusters of fever accompanied by respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, while screening and traveller history-taking have been reinforced at Kigali International Airport and land borders.

The National Reference Laboratory has strengthened its readiness in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), while health workers in the country have been briefed on identifying suspected cases, isolation measures and supportive treatment.

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Authorities are working with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Ministry of Environment to strengthen rodent and wildlife monitoring as part of efforts to detect possible risks early.

Public information campaigns in Kinyarwanda, English and French are being carried out through Community Health Workers, local leaders and the media to help communities understand the disease, how it spreads and how to protect themselves.

What is hantavirus?

Hantaviruses are mainly carried by wild rodents and spread to humans through contact with contaminated urine, droppings or saliva, including particles released into the air, and through contaminated surfaces, food or water.

The strain linked to the current outbreak is the Andes virus, the only hantavirus known to spread from person to person, and only through close, prolonged contact.

With no specific treatment or widely available vaccine, prevention is the strongest defence. Health authorities are urging the public to block rodent entry into homes, keep food and storage areas clean, cover food and water, and wear gloves, masks and boots when cleaning rodent-infested spaces.

According to RBC, symptoms can appear between one and eight weeks after exposure and include fever, chills, headache, severe muscle aches, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. In severe cases, the illness can quickly lead to coughing, breathing difficulty, respiratory distress and shock.

Since early signs can resemble influenza, malaria or COVID-19, anyone with sudden fever, severe muscle aches, stomach symptoms or breathing difficulty, especially after recent travel or rodent exposure, is urged to seek medical care and share any travel or exposure history.

RBC has asked the public to report unexplained clusters of illness, sudden unexplained deaths linked to recent travel or rodent exposure, unusual rodent die-offs or infestations, and concerns or rumours about hantavirus or other emerging diseases through the toll-free hotline 144.