The outbreak of hantavirus in Argentina and Chile, which has already claimed the lives of ten people, has turned on the warning lights in the local and national health system to circumscribe the outbreak and prevent the disease from spreading.
However, the virus, its symptoms and preventive measures are not of normal daily management for the whole society. That is why the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Nation issued a series of details to take into account when preventing any type of infection, which is detailed below:
What is it?
Hantavirus is a severe acute viral disease, caused by the Hanta virus. The wild mice (mainly the long-tailed ones) transmit it to the people, emanating the virus in the saliva, the feces and the urine.
How is it transmitted?
- By inhalation: occurs when we breathe in open or closed places (sheds, orchards, grasslands) where the feces or urine of the infected rodents released the virus contaminating the environment.
- By direct contact: by touching infected live or dead rodents, or the feces or urine of these rodents.
- By bites from infected rodents.
- Through interhuman: it can be transmitted between people through close contact with an infected person during the first days of symptoms, through airway.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms resemble a flu-like state: fever, muscle aches, chills, headaches, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. After a few days there may be respiratory distress that can be aggravated by producing what is known as “hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome,” which can lead to death if the person is not hospitalized in time.
How can it be prevented?
- Avoid coexistence with rodents and contact with their secretions.
- Prevent rodents from entering or making nests in homes.
- Cover holes in doors, walls and pipes.
- Carry out the cleaning (floors, walls, doors, tables, drawers and cupboards) with one part of bleach every nine of water (leave 30 minutes and then rinse). Moisten the floor before sweeping to avoid dust.
- Place gardens and firewood more than 30 meters from the houses, cut grasses and weeds up to a radius of 30 meters around the home.
- Ventilate at least 30 minutes before entering places that have been closed (houses, sheds). Cover your mouth and nose with an N95 chinstrap before entering.
- When camping do away with weeds and dumps, do not sleep directly on the ground and consume drinking water.
- If a live rodent is found: use venom for rodents or trappers to capture it (do not try to touch it or hit it). Check with the municipality if a pest control service is available.
- If a dead rodent is found: spray it with bleach together with everything that may have been in contact and wait a minimum of 30 minutes. Then pick it up using gloves and bury it more than 30 cm deep or burn it.
- People who have symptoms of the disease should go quickly to a health facility for consultation and avoid close contact with other people.
