Hantavirus risk in BVI and Caribbean ‘very low’ — CMO

Residents in the BVI and the wider Caribbean face a “very low” risk from hantavirus, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronald Georges, who urged the public to remain vigilant while relying on reputable health information sources.

Speaking during a GIS programme hosted by Public Health Communications Specialist Natasha Lettsome-Humphrey, Georges explained that hantavirus is a group of viruses spread mainly through exposure to rodents, particularly rat urine, faeces and saliva. The illness typically causes respiratory symptoms and flu-like signs such as fever, body aches and cough.

“In the Virgin Islands — specifically, and in the wider Caribbean, the risk is very, very low,” Georges stated. “It’s not a disease that we’ve seen in the Caribbean to any extent.”

Georges said the virus differs significantly from illnesses such as COVID-19 because hantavirus is not efficiently spread from person to person. “This is not COVID. It’s not pandemic influenza,” Georges said. “Those two types of diseases are very efficiently transmitted by person to person.”

He acknowledged that public anxiety has grown amid international reports and social media discussions about hantavirus, including claims of suspected cases elsewhere in the Caribbean. However, he advised residents against relying on unverified online posts and urged them to seek updates from trusted organisations such as the World Health Organisation, Pan American Health Organisation, and the Caribbean Public Health Agency.

“So what I would say is not necessarily to be worried, but to be vigilant,” Georges urged.

Georges also used the discussion to encourage improved environmental sanitation and rodent control across the territory. He warned that improperly managed garbage disposal and rat infestations could increase the risk of rodent-borne diseases, including leptospirosis, which is more common in some Caribbean territories.

The Chief Medical Officer advised residents cleaning areas contaminated by rats to avoid dry sweeping because contaminated particles can become airborne. Instead, he recommended using wet cleaning methods such as mopping or wiping surfaces.

The BVI has previously faced public health concerns related to vector-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya, particularly during rainy periods. Georges said the same principles of environmental management and prevention apply to controlling rodents and reducing disease risks.

“People should certainly not be panicked,” Georges stated. “They should be moderately concerned and vigilant.”