On April 25, 2016, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced one new case of hantavirus hemorrhagic fever. The case is a 57-year-old male fishmonger who resides in Kaohsiung City. On April 1, he sought medical attention at a clinic after developing a fever. On April 3, when his fever persisted and he developed symptoms such as dizziness and muscle ache, he sought further medical attention and was hospitalized. Infection with hantavirus was confirmed in the case after the hospital reported the case to the health authority as a suspected case. Currently, none of the family members residing in the same household with the case has developed suspected symptoms. The health authority captured 7 brown rats and 1 house shrew around the places frequented by the case. 2 brown rats tested positive for hantavirus. To reduce the risk of further transmission, the local health authority has implemented a number of rodent control measures within a 200-meter radius of the case’s residence and neighborhood.

According to the surveillance statistics compiled by Taiwan CDC, thus far this year, a total of 3 cases of hantavirus infection have been confirmed and all three reside in Kaohsiung City. The first two cases belong to a family cluster. Although the new case resides in a different village from the first two, their residences are only 400 meters apart. Since 2001, a total of 19 cases of hantavirus hemorrhagic fever have been confirmed. Most of them are men (16 cases) and most cases are aged between 20 and 29 (7 cases). Based on the results of a study on the most common and widespread rodent-borne diseases in the 5 metropolitan areas in Taiwan conducted in 2011, residents who live close to and work staff at traditional markets and night markets are at increased risk of contracting hantavirus.　

Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever is a zoonosis caused by hantaviruses. Rodents are the natural reservoir for hantaviruses and the virus is transmitted from infected rodents to humans by inhalation of aerosolized particles from rodent excreta or a bite from infected rodents. The incubation period ranges from a couple of days to two months. The virus does not spread between humans. Symptoms usually include fever, headache, fatigue, abdominal pain, lower back pain, nausea, vomiting, varying degrees of hemorrhagic manifestations and kidney involvement.　

As rodent control in and around the home remains the most effective prevention strategy against hantavirus infection, Taiwan CDC urges the public to create a mouse-free environment by adhering to the three “Don’ts”: “Don’t let rodents to enter. Don’t let rodents to stay. Don’t let rodents eat your food”. Taiwan CDC urges restaurants, hotels, eateries, markets, food factories and households to maintain good environmental hygiene and carry out deratting measures when necessary. Individuals should avoid contact with rodent droppings, urine, saliva, and nesting materials. Closed storage sheds and cabins are often ideal sites for rodent infestations. While cleaning up rodent droppings and urine, wear a mask, put on gloves, spray the droppings and urine with a disinfectant or a mixture of bleach (100 cc) and water (10 liters) and let the excreta soak in the disinfectant or bleach solution for 30 minutes before disposing of the waste in the garbage. For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline,1922 (or 0800-001922).