The year’s tally of hantavirus cases has risen again, now at a near 20-year high, after the infection was confirmed in a Kaohsiung City restaurant worker who sustained a rat bite in mid-April. Kaohsiung and New Taipei City have between them recorded over two thirds of all hantavirus cases since 2001 (21 of 30 confirmed cases). Read more
Advice for travellers
Hantavirus is generally spread from various rodent species to people, through aerosols shed in excreta, urine or saliva, but to a lesser extent via the bite of an infected animal. The syndromes resulting from infection vary by region - in Europe and Asia, the 'Old World' hantaviruses may cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), while the New World' hantaviruses in the Americas can result in hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Read more on hantavirus from the Taiwan CDC.
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.