Cambodian gov’t urges people to be cautious over Hantavirus – Xinhua

The Cambodian government issued a public advisory on May 9, 2026, urging citizens to remain vigilant regarding Hantavirus, although no human cases of the virus have been detected within the kingdom to date.

The warning comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) reported an outbreak of Hantavirus infections on a Dutch-flagged cruise ship that had set sail from Argentina. As of May 8, 2026, the WHO reported a total of eight cases associated with the ship, including three deaths.

Border Preparedness and Screening

In response to the international outbreak, the Cambodian Ministry of Health has moved to strengthen its border defenses. On May 8, 2026, Youk Sambath, the Ministry of Health’s Secretary of State, conducted an inspection of facilities at the Techo International Airport.

During the inspection, Youk Sambath advised health officials to increase emergency preparedness measures and step up airport screening processes to prevent the importation of the virus into Cambodia.

Transmission and Viral Risks

According to a press release from the Ministry of Health, Hantaviruses are a cluster of viruses carried by rodents that have the potential to cause severe disease in humans.

The Ministry explained that People can contract the virus through contact with infected rodents such as rats, squirrels, skunks, and voles, or their urine, droppings or saliva.

While the primary risk comes from contact with rodent waste or the animals themselves, the Ministry noted that Transmission through bites or scratches from infected rodents is possible, but rare.

Symptoms and Clinical Guidance

The onset of symptoms typically occurs between one and eight weeks after a person is exposed to the virus. The Ministry of Health identified several key symptoms that may indicate an infection:

• Fever and headache
• Muscle aches
• Gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain
• Shortness of breath

Health officials advised that any individuals experiencing these symptoms, or those with a history of traveling from an area where a Hantavirus outbreak has occurred, should visit a hospital or the nearest health center for a consultation and examination as soon as possible.

Treatment and Global Risk Assessment

Medical management of the virus is limited by a lack of targeted pharmaceuticals. The Ministry of Health stated:

There is no licensed specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for Hantavirus infection. Care is supportive and focuses on close clinical monitoring and management of respiratory, cardiac and kidney complications

Cambodian Ministry of Health

Despite the severity of individual cases, the WHO has assessed the risk to the global population as low. This assessment is based on the fact that transmission of the virus between humans is rare.