Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) has been stepping up monitoring and screening measures for hantavirus at international points of entry, while health experts emphasize that the overall risk to the country remains very low.

DDC Director-General Dr. Montien Kanasawat said that, although no cases of hantavirus infection have been reported in Thailand, authorities have increased surveillance of travelers arriving from high-risk areas, particularly South America, and strengthened inspections of cruise ships and international transport.

Measures against hantavirus include enhanced health screening for passengers and crew, strict monitoring of suspected infections on vessels, environmental sanitation and rodent control on ships, and preparedness of personal protective equipment for officials.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Yong Poovorawan, Head of the Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, clarified that hantavirus strains found in Thailand are different from the Andes strain currently reported in South America.

He noted that hantavirus has existed in Thailand for more than 40–50 years, with only rare cases detected. The virus is mainly carried by rodents and can spread through exposure to contaminated urine, droppings, or saliva.

Symptoms may include high fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Severe cases can lead to kidney failure or respiratory complications. Human-to-human transmission is uncommon, except for the Andes strain linked to recent cases in South America.

Thai authorities urged the public not to panic, saying that the country’s public health surveillance and emergency response systems remain fully prepared.

People returning from high-risk areas who experience unusual symptoms after possible rodent exposure are advised to seek medical attention promptly.