Thailand says no hantavirus outbreak found, steps up monitoring

Thai authorities said on May 11 that no hantavirus outbreak has been detected in Thailand, including Phuket, after the World Health Organization reported infections linked to a cruise ship in the South Atlantic Ocean. Deputy government spokesperson Lallida Pherdviewattana said the public risk remained low, but the Public Health Ministry had intensified screening at international disease control checkpoints and through domestic surveillance.

Screening, legal review and public precautions

The government has instructed the Department of Disease Control to tighten monitoring of travelers arriving from risk areas and to coordinate information with airlines, ports and related agencies. Health service units nationwide were also told to strengthen screening for people with a history of contact with rodents, officials said.

The National Communicable Disease Committee has approved a study on whether hantavirus infection should be classified as a dangerous communicable disease under the Communicable Disease Act B.E. 2558. Officials are also preparing a risk assessment, surveillance readiness measures and response guidelines to match the situation.

Hantavirus is mainly carried by rodents such as field rats and house rats. Infection usually occurs by inhaling dust contaminated with rodent urine or feces in enclosed spaces, while person-to-person transmission is very rare and limited to some strains.

Early symptoms can resemble influenza before some patients develop respiratory problems. There is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine, and care is based on symptoms.

Source: https://www.prachachat.net/general/news-2004722