The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says there is no evidence of hantavirus infections in Nigeria.
This comes amid growing international concern over an outbreak of hantavirus linked to a cruise ship.
In a public health advisory on Friday, the NCDC said it is closely monitoring the situation while maintaining surveillance for emerging infectious diseases.
“The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) is aware of recent reports of an ongoing Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel involving multiple countries,” the advisory reads.
The NCDC said investigations and contact tracing related to the outbreak are ongoing internationally, noting that “current reports indicate that the risk to the general public remains low”.
“There is no evidence of Hantavirus cases in Nigeria,” the agency said.
“NCDC is closely monitoring the situation and maintaining surveillance for emerging infectious diseases.”
According to the agency, hantaviruses are primarily carried by rodents and can infect humans through contact with infected rodents or exposure to their urine, droppings, saliva or contaminated dust particles.
The agency listed symptoms of the disease to include fatigue, body aches and gastrointestinal symptoms, noting that severe cases may lead to breathing difficulties.
“While some forms of Hantavirus infection can cause severe illness, the disease remains relatively rare,” the agency said.
The NCDC said the current outbreak had been linked to the Andes virus strain, which, it noted, has shown limited human-to-human transmission in previous cases, especially through close contact.
The agency urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue observing preventive measures similar to those used against other zoonotic diseases.
The measures include proper food storage and waste disposal, avoiding contact with rodents and their droppings, using protective equipment when cleaning rodent-infested areas, and maintaining proper hand hygiene.
“NCDC continues to maintain surveillance systems for epidemic-prone and emerging infectious diseases, most of which are zoonotic and often transmitted by animals such as bats and rodents,” the NCDC said.
“We will therefore continue to monitor global developments closely.”
The agency also advised Nigerians to rely on verified information from official public health authorities and avoid spreading misinformation about the disease.
