Tengrinews.kz — Committee of Sanitary and Epidemiological Control of the Ministry of Healthcare has issued a warning for Kazakhstanis traveling abroad due to the risk of importing hantavirus infection.
Key recommendations for tourists
The agency noted that hantavirus infection is a dangerous viral disease transmitted to humans primarily through contact with rodents or their excretions. It can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).
The virus can enter the body through:
- dust;
- food;
- water;
- rodent bites.
In this regard, the Sanitary and Epidemiological Control Committee has published preventive measures for citizens traveling abroad:
- avoid contact with rodents and stay away from their potential habitats;
- do not consume food or water that may have been contaminated by rodents;
- avoid eating at informal or street markets and store food in tightly sealed containers;
- ensure proper ventilation and perform wet cleaning with disinfectants in enclosed spaces, using gloves and masks while cleaning;
- maintain physical distance in crowded areas, use masks and sanitizers, and practice proper hand hygiene.
The department also emphasized that if symptoms such as malaise, high fever, severe weakness, muscle pain, cough, or shortness of breath occur within 1–8 weeks of returning from a trip, individuals should seek immediate medical attention and inform the doctor of their travel history.
As a reminder, an outbreak of the deadly hantavirus occurred on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius while it was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde. Three people died. On May 12, the WHO reported 11 cases of hantavirus infection, nine of which were confirmed as the Andes virus strain.
