Hantavirus Threat in Africa

Scientists are raising concerns about the underestimated threat of Hantavirus in Africa>>>. The continent faces challenges including limited diagnostic testing capacity, inadequate monitoring systems for wildlife and humans, and the exacerbating effects of climate change and land-use changes. These factors are predicted to increase rodent populations and bring them into closer contact with humans, raising the risk of zoonotic spillover. While the Hantavirus is known for person-to-person transmission and has caused recent fatalities on a cruise ship, other hantaviruses like Sangassou virus>>> have been found in various mammals in Africa>>>. The lack of research into hantavirus ecology and genetic sequences further contributes to a surveillance gap. Experts advocate for strengthening surveillance, conducting virological and ecological studies, and implementing widespread diagnostic tests to identify high-risk interfaces and prevent larger outbreaks, drawing parallels to past outbreaks like the Hantavirus boom in the United States>>> and Lassa fever in Nigeria>>> and Guinea>>>.