The minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie, has revealed that the country remains free of Hantavirus, as officials are not taking chances, assessing readiness for a potential outbreak.
Speaking at the Yaoundé Emergency Operations Centre on May 15, the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie said no cases have been detected so far. The evaluation meeting brought together senior public health officials, epidemiologists, and partners including the World Health Organization to review Cameroon’s response mechanisms.
The session focused on surveillance, early detection, and coordination in case the virus appears. According to officials, Hantavirus is spread to humans through contact with the urine, feces, or saliva of infected wild rodents, mainly mice and rats.
Early symptoms often resemble severe flu high fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, chills, nausea, and vomiting. In more serious cases, the disease can progress rapidly to breathing difficulty, coughing, respiratory distress, and lung damage.
Dr. Manaouda Malachie emphasized that staying alert and maintaining strong reporting systems are key to preventing surprises. He urged the public to keep living and food storage areas free of rodents and to seek care quickly if symptoms appear.
The representatives of the WHO at the meeting backed the ministry’s approach, noting that preparedness drills and inter-agency coordination are the best defense against zoonotic diseases that can jump from animals to humans without warning.
