Hantavirus outbreak in Eastern Cape? Health department clears the air
· Citizen
The Eastern Cape Department of Health has rubbished claims of a Hantavirus outbreak at Grey Hospital in the province.
The Andes strain of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare but potentially deadly virus with limited human-to-human transmission, was discovered aboard a cruise ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean last month.
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“While the ship was travelling past South African shores, some of the passengers experienced serious health complications arising from what was initially considered severe acute respiratory infections,” the South African department of Health said this week.
Three people have died, and others transported to SA for medical assistance. While the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the risk of spread is low, there have been concerns of a possible outbreak.
It is in this climate of fear that a fake notice was spread on social media claiming that “hantavirus is in King William’s Town.”
“Three people were admitted to Grey Hospital,” it read, along with prevention tips such as staying at home, keeping yards clean, sealing entry points, cleaning safely, keeping areas well-ventilated, and seeking medical attention early.
Department responds
The department responded on Saturday, calling the notice “misleading”.
“The Eastern Cape Department of Health categorically states that reports of a Hantavirus outbreak at Grey Hospital are, according to our reports, false.
“There is no such outbreak at the facility.
“The public is urged not to share unverified information and to rely only on official Department of Health communications.
“The spreading of false information by persons not qualified or authorised to do so is irresponsible and causes unnecessary panic.
“It is also unlawful. Any such persons involved in spreading false information can face criminal charges.”
Calls for calm
The virus can be transmitted through exposure to rat droppings or urine, but officials have moved to calm concerns of infection.
“We do have a major rodent problem. So it’s important to clarify that even though there has been limited testing of rodents in Southern Africa and Africa, we do not have hantavirus in this part of the world,” said Dr Lucille Blumberg, head of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NCID).
Blumberg said contact-tracing began before officials diagnosed the deceased with hantavirus.
“We did identify contacts and start contact-tracing already on Saturday, 2 May, even though by then we didn’t know what it was.
“So all the names of the people who were involved at OR Tambo, those at the hospital close to the airport of case 2 and all of those who either transported the patient or admitted the patient in case 3 were put on a list and we’ve started monitoring for fever, temperature.”
Additional reporting by Lukholo Mazibuko