KATHMANDU:- The Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene has said that the risk of Hantavirus infection in Nepal is low.
The risk of Hantavirus infection in Nepal is very low as rats infected with the ‘Andes virus’ of the Hantavirus group are not found in Nepal, according to the Ministry’s Joint Spokesperson Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari.
Hantavirus infection has not yet been confirmed in Nepal. It is a type of rare virus mainly transmitted to humans through the urine, feces and saliva of infected rats. According to scientific studies, human-to-human transmission is possible only in limited cases.
Meanwhile, the Ministry has requested everyone not to follow rumors and not to create unnecessary panic. It has also urged everyone to trust only the information issued by the Ministry and official bodies.
Similarly, the Ministry has requested one and all to take precautions against Hantavirus infection, urging people to clean their homes and surroundings, close off potential entry points for rats, use masks and gloves when cleaning rat waste, wash their hands regularly with soap and water, and contact the nearest health facility if they experience fever, breathing problems, or other unusual symptoms.