De Faakto Outbreak Intelligence
From The World Health Organization
Hantavirus disease – Republic of Panama
04 January 2019
- The Panama Ministry of Health has reported an increase in cases of hantavirus infection
- Between 1 January and 22 December 2018, a total of 103 confirmed cases of hantavirus have been reported at the national level
- 51 cases were classified as hantavirus fever (HF) without pulmonary syndrome
- 48 cases were classified as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS)
- 4 deaths from hantavirus
WHO risk assessment
- HPS is a zoonotic, viral respiratory disease
- Infections are acquired primarily through inhalation of aerosols or contact with the excreta, droppings or saliva of infected rodents
- Symptoms of HPS typically occur from two to four weeks after initial exposure, though symptoms may appear as early as one week to as late as eight weeks following exposure
- The case fatality rate can reach 50%
About Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
- (HPS) is a severe, sometimes fatal, respiratory disease in humans caused by infection with hantaviruses.
- Early symptoms: fever, headaches, muscle aches, stomach problems, dizziness, chills, fatigue, fever and muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups—thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders
- There may also be headaches, dizziness, chills, and abdominal problems, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. About half of all HPS patients experience these symptoms (CDC)
Late Symptoms
- Lungs fill with fluid, shortness of breath with the sensation of, as one survivor put it, a “…tight band around my chest and a pillow over my face” as the lungs fill with fluid (CDC)
Is the Disease Fatal?
- Yes. HPS can be fatal. It has a mortality rate of 38% (CDC)
WHO https://www.who.int/csr/don/04-January-2019-hantavirus-panama/en/
