WHO: Hantavirus risk remains low in Viet Nam
VGP - The risk to the global population – including Viet Nam – remains low, as the outbreak is primarily confined to a specific international cruise ship, with no Vietnamese people reported to be on board, said World Health Organization Acting Representative in Viet Nam Dr Jennifer Horton.
WHO Acting Representative in Viet Nam Dr Jennifer Horton
"This is situation is a serious reminder that, as we have seen many times, diseases do not respect borders," Jennifer Horton said during an interview with VGP.
To help protect people from health risks with the potential to cross borders, Governments – including Viet Nam's – work together under the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2025) of the World Health Organization (WHO) to build and sustain their countries' capacities to detect and respond to any disease threats.
For example, in 2025, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO and partners, carried out an evaluation to help the country address gaps in preparing for, detecting and responding to public health emergencies, such as disease outbreaks or disasters.
The MoH supported by the WHO Country Office, has proactively initiated public communications, drafted an interim guidance on surveillance, prevention and control of Hantavirus disease, and directed enhanced vigilance and rodent control at major airports of entry.
WHO's Country Offices are working closely with WHO experts in Regional Offices and Headquarters. This international response includes rapid risk assessments, providing technical guidance to Member States, and directly coordinating the complex disembarkation and repatriation of passengers in Tenerife under strict health protocols.
Dr Jennifer Horton stressed that preventing hantavirus infection depends primarily on reducing contacts between people and rodents.
Effective measures include: keeping homes and workplaces clean; sealing openings that allow rodents to enter buildings; storing food securely; using safe cleaning practices in areas contaminated by rodents; avoiding dry sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings; dampening of contaminated areas before cleaning; strengthening hand hygiene practices.
As with any infectious disease outbreak, when cases are suspected, early identification and isolation of cases, monitoring of close contacts, and application of standard infection prevention measures are important to limit further spread, the WHO Acting Representative finalized./.
