The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has stepped up disease surveillance nationwide following reports of an international Hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship travel across several countries.

Director-General of the agency, Jide Idris, disclosed this in a public health advisory issued on Friday, assuring Nigerians that no confirmed case of the virus had been recorded in the country.

According to Idris, the current risk to the Nigerian public remains low, but the agency considered it necessary to heighten monitoring efforts because of growing global concerns surrounding the outbreak.

He explained that the reported cases involved a limited cluster connected to cruise ship travel, with international health authorities continuing investigations and contact tracing.

The NCDC boss said Hantaviruses are mainly transmitted through rodents and can infect humans through exposure to contaminated urine, saliva, droppings or dust particles from infected rodents.

He noted that symptoms of the infection include fever and gastrointestinal complications, while severe cases may lead to respiratory distress and breathing difficulties.

Idris added that the ongoing outbreak has been associated with the Andes virus strain, which has shown limited human-to-human transmission through close contact in previous outbreaks.

Despite the global situation, he stressed that Nigeria had not recorded any suspected or confirmed case of the disease.

He said the agency had activated enhanced surveillance mechanisms to strengthen early detection and prevent possible importation of the virus into the country.

The NCDC also advised Nigerians to adopt preventive measures aimed at reducing contact with rodents and maintaining proper hygiene.

Residents were urged to keep their surroundings clean, properly store food, dispose of waste safely and avoid direct contact with rodents or their droppings. The agency also recommended taking protective precautions when cleaning rodent-infested environments.

Idris stated that the NCDC would continue monitoring developments globally, noting that many emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic and commonly transmitted through animals such as rodents and bats.