This Wednesday, a 42-year-old man became the first person to die from hantavirus in the country of Panama. According to the authorities, the patient worked in agricultural activities in the district of Montijo, in the province of Veraguas, where he began to show symptoms.
The patient presented respiratory problems and was initially treated in hospital facilities in Ocú.
Due to complications associated with his lung disease, he was transferred to the Dr. Cecilio A. Castillero Regional Hospital, in the city of Chitré, where he received specialized care.
Subsequently, due to the worsening of his respiratory condition, he was referred to the Dr. Joaquín Pablo Franco Sayas Hospital, in the neighboring province of Los Santos, where laboratory tests confirmed a positive result for hantavirus IgM. According to data from the Ministry of Health of Panama (MINSA).
Health authorities maintain the corresponding epidemiological surveillance of the case and reiterate to the population the importance of adopting preventive measures, especially in rural and agricultural areas, avoiding contact with rodents and maintaining adequate hygiene habits in homes, warehouses and work areas located in endemic areas of hantavirus.
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The hantavirus is mainly transmitted by inhaling particles contaminated with urine, feces, or saliva from infected rodents.
To reduce the risk of contagion, the Ministry of Health recommends ventilating enclosed spaces for at least 30 minutes before cleaning them and disinfecting surfaces with a chlorine solution before sweeping or removing dust.
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Among the symptoms associated with this disease are high fever, muscle aches, fatigue, difficulty breathing, nausea, and abdominal pain.
In the presence of these symptoms, it is recommended to go immediately to a health center and avoid self-medication.
The endemic areas of hantavirus in Panama are concentrated mainly in the central region of the country.
Among the areas with the highest incidence are the province of Los Santos, especially in the districts of Tonosí, Las Tablas and Guararé; Veraguas, mainly in Soná; Coclé, in the districts of Aguadulce and Natá; Herrera, in areas near Chitré; and Panama East, particularly in focused areas of Chepo.
Panama registers in 2026 a cumulative total of 16 cases of hantavirus, of which seven correspond to Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS) and nine to Hantavirus Fever (HF). The authorities reiterate that, in the country, no person-to-person transmission has been reported, as the infection occurs mainly through exposure to the virus transmitted by wild rodents.
