On March 10, 2016, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced this year’s first case of hantavirus hemorrhagic fever. The case is a 76-year-old housewife who residesin southern Taiwan. On February 20, 2016, she sought medical attention and was hospitalized after developing symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea and vomiting. After the hospital reported the patient as a suspected case to the health authority, infection with hantavirus hemorrhagic fever was confirmed in the case. The case has fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital after administering appropriate treatment. As of now, none of the family members residing in the same household with the case has developed suspected symptoms. However,the case’s room was found to be untidy and dirty and dead rats were found after disinfection. As a result, the local health authority has collected specimensfrom the family members residing in the same household for laboratory testing. Inaddition, the local health authority has implemented a number of rodent control measures around the case’s residence and neighborhood to reduce the risk of further transmission.

According to the surveillance statistics compiled by Taiwan CDC, each year about 0 to 2 cases of hantavirus infectionare confirmed. Since 2001, a total of 17 cases of hantavirus hemorrhagic fever have been confirmed. Most of them are men (15 cases) and most cases are agedbetween 20 and 29 (6 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 byinhalation of aerosolized particles from rodent excreta or a bite from infectedrodents. The incubation period ranges from a couple of days to two months. Thevirus 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 storagesheds 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 (10liters) 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 thetoll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline,1922 (or0800-001922).