The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Public Health Advisory following recent reports of a Hantavirus cluster linked to international cruise ship travel involving multiple countries.

The advisory was announced on Saturday through the agency’s official X handle, where the NCDC stated that there is currently no confirmed case of Hantavirus in Nigeria and that the overall risk to the public remains low.

According to the agency, Hantaviruses are viruses primarily carried by rodents, and humans can become infected through contact with infected rodents, their urine, saliva, droppings, or contaminated dust particles.

The NCDC explained that symptoms of the virus may include fever, fatigue, body aches, headaches, stomach-related complications, and in severe cases, difficulty breathing.

As part of preventive measures, the agency urged Nigerians to maintain clean environments, prevent rodent infestation in homes and workplaces, store food properly, dispose of waste safely, avoid direct contact with rodents and their droppings, and practice regular hand hygiene.

The public health body noted that it is actively monitoring the situation while strengthening surveillance systems for emerging infectious diseases across the country.

The NCDC also cautioned members of the public against spreading unverified information, urging citizens to rely only on official health updates.

“Please rely only on verified updates from official public health authorities and avoid spreading misinformation,” the agency stated. (The Guardian)

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