- Hantavirus symptoms mimic common illnesses, making early detection challenging.
- Specialized labs are needed for hantavirus diagnosis in India.
- Airport screening is debated; some strains spread via droplets.
- Low risk for widespread hantavirus transmission in India.
As passengers begin returning home from the hantavirus-affected cruise ship off Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, countries across the world are watching closely. Health authorities are particularly alert to the risks travellers pose on arrival, and in India, the question is already being asked, should airport screening be stepped up?
The concern is understandable. But as experts explain, the answer isn’t as simple as it may seem.
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Are Indian Hospitals Ready To Detect Hantavirus?
According to Dr. Umang Agarwal, Consultant – Infectious Diseases, at P.D. Hinduja Hospital and MRC center, Khar, identifying such rare infections quickly may not be easy in a typical Indian hospital setting.
“Since hanta viruses are not something that we see very commonly in an Indian setting, the routine tertiary setups in India will not really identify this viral infection quickly. However, there are certain specialised centers which will have the equipment and the necessary infrastructure to do sequencing and identify these viruses.”
In simpler terms, unless cases are flagged early or reach specialised labs, they could remain undetected initially.
Symptoms Can Easily Be Missed
One of the biggest concerns is how easily hantavirus symptoms can be mistaken for more common illnesses.
“So the initial symptoms of hantavirus are very similar to other viruses. It’s like flu, some cough, some cold, headaches, body aches, etc. So, yes, it’s possible that the initial cases might be mixed missed rather since the symptoms might resemble through the in care fever. As far as the fix is concerned, unfortunately, there is no real fix for this. However, if there is a confirmed outbreak of illness, a confirmed outbreak elsewhere, in that particular case, even regular symptoms like this should raise the suspicion of this disease, and these kind of patients in that setting should be quarantined immediately.”
In other words, without a known outbreak, early cases could slip under the radar, making awareness and caution critical.
Do Airport Screenings Actually Help?
Despite hantavirus not typically spreading between humans, Dr Agarwal believes screening still has a role, particularly in uncertain scenarios.
“While hantavirus does not typically spread human to human in most patients, however, it is important to understand that some strains such as the anti-strain still have the capacity to spread through droplet infection. As far as the Airport checks are concerned, I think it is essential to perform them still, especially in the setting of an outbreak for two reasons.”
He further explains why caution matters, saying, “And secondly, in case of an unidentified infection like this, it may always be useful to quarantine the patient and limit the communication of the speech from the community till the time a final diagnosis is really made.”
However, he also notes that relying only on temperature checks may not be enough.
“Well, thermal screenings are something that can we can begin with. However, I think it would also be important to request for to also look out for symptoms of headaches or runny nose or cough or any gastrointestinal symptoms. If there are any of these symptoms present, then it might be worth investigating.”
Is Mandatory Screening Necessary Right Now?
Dr Swapnil Khadke, HOD and Consultant Critical Care, at Fortis Hiranandani Hospital Vashi, Navi Mumbai offers a more measured perspective, suggesting that large-scale airport screening may not be justified at this stage.
“Given the current pattern of global spread there is no justification for implementing mandatory airport screening in India. Although some recently reported cases of human illness in the USA are associated with international travel, Hantavirus has not been shown to have the same high R0 of other respiratory viruses such as COVID-19 and influenza. Hantavirus is primarily a zoonotic disease being transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodent hosts. Therefore there is virtually no chance that the importation of infected people would give rise to a domestic epidemic in animals or in human beings.”
He adds that the nature of the virus itself limits its spread by saying, “Hantavirus is primarily a zoonotic disease being transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodent hosts. Therefore there is virtually no chance that the importation of infected people (as would occur with air or sea travel) would give rise to a domestic epidemic in animals or in human beings.”
Why Screening Isn’t So Simple
Dr Khadke explains that the nature of the virus itself makes screening particularly challenging.
Even if authorities choose to act, screening comes with its own complications.
“It is difficult to screen for Hantavirus because of its long incubation period (up to six weeks). Thermal imaging and visual inspections do not work well for screening as they only identify visibly ill patients.”
He points out that more targeted approaches may be required, rather than blanket measures.
Lessons From COVID-19 Are Still Important
The pandemic has already reshaped how countries respond to health risks. According to experts, those lessons remain highly relevant today.
“Universal temperature checks are not an effective primary defense against viruses that have long incubation periods.”
Instead, systems like contact tracing and targeted testing have proven far more effective.
How Big Is The Risk For India?
For now, experts believe the risk of widespread transmission within India remains low.
“While there is a slight chance that a traveller will enter India and be infected with Hantavirus, the risk for this infection to spread to others within the country is extremely low.”
He further explains that most hantavirus strains do not spread easily between people, reducing the likelihood of a large outbreak.
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A Balanced Approach Ahead
So, should India introduce airport screening? The answer, it seems, lies somewhere in the middle. While caution and preparedness remain essential, experts suggest that targeted surveillance and rapid response may be more effective than blanket screening measures.
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