TEHRAN - The deputy health minister has said no case of Hantavirus has been reported in Iran so far, and the risk of its epidemic is very low.

"This virus is not new and has been known in the world for years. Furthermore, no case of a new type of Hantavirus has been reported in Iran so far, and there is no reason for concern," IRNA quoted Alireza Raeisi as saying.

“There have also been no reports in the countries surrounding Iran,” he stressed.

Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), also known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), is a zoonotic, viral respiratory disease caused by hantaviruses of the genus Orthohantavirus, family Hantaviridae, order Bunyavirales.

Hantaviruses found in Europe and Asia are known to cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), which primarily affects the kidneys and blood vessels. Human-to-human transmission has not been documented in this part of the world.

Human Hantavirus infection is primarily acquired through contact with the urine, faeces, or saliva of infected rodents or by touching contaminated surfaces.

Exposure typically occurs during activities such as cleaning buildings with rodent infestations, though it may also occur during routine activities in heavily infested areas.

Human cases are most commonly reported in rural settings, such as forests, fields, and farms, where rodents are present, and opportunities for exposure are greater.

HPS is characterized by headache, dizziness, chills, fever, myalgia, and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain, followed by sudden onset of respiratory distress and hypotension.

Symptoms of HPS typically occur from 1-6 weeks after initial exposure to the virus. However, symptoms may appear as early as one week and as late as eight weeks following exposure.

On 2 May 2026, the World Health Organization received notification from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland regarding a cluster of severe acute respiratory illness, including two deaths and one critically ill passenger, aboard a Dutch-flagged cruise ship.