Hurricane-ravaged Dominica investigating rare virus

After struggling to recover from the passage of devastating hurricanes, Dominica is now investigating the presence of a potentially fatal virus in the island.

According to a report from Dominica News online, the Hantavirus, which is spread by rodents, was confirmed after preliminary testing. Samples have been sent to Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta for confirmation.

According to media reports, one person reportedly died from the virus.

It is thought that the virus surfaced after the passage of Hurricane Maria earlier this year, which caused the deaths of least 28 people as well as damages worth billions of dollars in Dominica.

The Ministry of Health clarified that the disease is not spread from person to person and is spread through the urine, droppings and saliva of rats, similar to leptospirosis.

People can become infected with these viruses and develop HFRS (Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome) after exposure to aerosolized urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents or after exposure to dust from their nests.

Transmission may also occur when infected urine or these other materials are directly introduced into broken skin or onto the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth.

In addition, individuals who work with live rodents can be exposed to hantaviruses through rodent bites from infected animals.

Dominica’s Ministry of Health warned to keep their homes clean and to avoid any activity that would put them into contact with rodent droppings, urine, saliva and nesting material.

The MoH advised all Dominicans to practice good hygiene and report rat infestation to the Environmental Health Office.

Infection with hantavirus can also progress to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which can be fatal.

The disease has a 38 percent mortality rate, according to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The incubation period can be between one and eight weeks after exposure to fresh urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents.

Early symptoms include fatigue, fever and muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups—thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders. These symptoms are universal.

There may also be headaches, dizziness, chills, and abdominal problems, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. About half of all HPS patients experience these symptoms.

Four to 10 days after the initial phase of illness, the late symptoms of HPS appear. These include coughing and shortness of breath, as the lungs fill with fluid.