Experts dismiss massive hantavirus outbreak fears: 'It does not transmit from person to person'

Venezuelan health authorities have confirmed three deaths attributed to hantavirus in the eastern state of Anzoátegui, prompting calls for calm from medical experts. The Ministry of Health announced the confirmation after the Venezuelan Medical Federation raised concerns about a rapidly progressing illness causing fatalities in both Anzoátegui and the western state of Barinas.

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The varieties of hantavirus in Venezuela do not have the capacity for person-to-person transmission, which makes it very unlikely that a number of cases much larger than what we are seeing will occur.

However, infectious disease specialist Julio Castro, former president of the Venezuelan Society of Infectology, expressed confidence that the situation does not indicate a widespread outbreak. He explained that the hantavirus strains prevalent in Venezuela have a very low capacity for human-to-human transmission, making a significant increase in cases improbable.

Castro noted that the cases in Barinas are still under investigation and present a more complex picture. The Ministry of Health confirmed two medical professionals died in Barinas but stated the causes are being investigated, describing the events as localized and not posing a general risk. The ministry has also stated that the Anzoátegui and Barinas incidents are unrelated.

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Both events are not related to each other and any connection between the situations recorded is ruled out.

Experts like Huníades Urbina, former president of the National Academy of Medicine, have emphasized that hantavirus is not new to Venezuela and is transmitted by rodents, primarily in rural areas. Prevention involves maintaining clean environments and avoiding dry sweeping in areas with rodent presence to prevent airborne transmission of the virus through dust contaminated with rodent excretions.

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Hantavirus is not a new disease in Venezuela. We have the states of Delta Amacuro and Anzoátegui with possible infestation of rodents that live in that area, especially those that live among sugarcane and cotton plantations.