Keelung hantavirus strain non-transmissible between humans: CDC

Taipei, May 19 (CNA) A man in Keelung who contracted hantavirus after being bitten by a rat was infected with the Seoul virus strain, which does not spread from person to person, Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday.

The latest case brought Taiwan's total number of hantavirus infections this year to three, following earlier cases in Taipei and New Taipei.

• Suspected hantavirus case reported in Keelung

At a routine press briefing, CDC epidemiologist Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said genetic sequencing identified the virus as the Seoul virus, which causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

"To date, there have been no reports of person-to-person transmission involving the Seoul virus," Lin said, adding that the strain has an estimated fatality rate of 5-15 percent.

The patient is a man in his 40s from northern Taiwan with no recent travel history or chronic illnesses, Lin added.

He was bitten by a rat while working on April 7 and developed fever, chills and limb weakness on May 2.

After the symptoms worsened, the man sought medical treatment and was diagnosed with hantavirus syndrome following testing.

The man's condition has since improved and he is expected to be discharged on Tuesday, Lin said.

Health authorities identified 11 household and workplace contacts, none of whom have shown symptoms, while rodent control and disinfection operations have been carried out at the patient's home and workplace, he added.

CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Kuo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said Taiwan has recorded 46 hantavirus cases since 2017, with most infections involving men aged over 40.

Amid heightened public concern following a recent outbreak aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said routine rodent surveillance conducted quarterly at Taiwan's international airports and seaports has shown hantavirus positivity rates remain stable at 3-5 percent over the years, with no abnormal fluctuations detected.

The CDC urged the public to maintain clean environments and prevent rodents from entering homes or accessing food sources to reduce the risk of infection.