TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei launched a rodent extermination operation in Neihu on Tuesday (May 12) following a hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship that killed three people. The citywide disinfection campaign will run through Thursday, targeting multiple districts. Health authorities are working to prevent local transmission of the virus, which spreads primarily through contact with infected rodents.
The World Health Organization classified all evacuees from the MV Hondius as high-risk contacts, requiring 42 days of medical surveillance, after the cruise ship reported at least seven cases and three deaths on May 2. The outbreak involved the Andes strain, the only hantavirus type known for human-to-human transmission. WHO officials said the risk level does not compare to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taiwan has reported two hantavirus cases in 2026, consistent with the same period over the past four years, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 疾病管制署) said. The island has recorded 45 cases since 2017, with males and individuals over 40 most affected. Kaohsiung documented 13 cases between 2020 and 2024.
The most recent domestic case involved a man in his 70s from New Taipei City who showed symptoms in mid-March and was discharged on March 30, the CDC said. The source of his infection remains under investigation. Hantavirus is a zoonotic disease spread primarily by rodents through their excretions or bites.
Residents should monitor potential rodent entry points and properly dispose of kitchen waste and animal feed. Firebreak alleys, drainage facilities, clutter piles and walls are hotspots for rodents requiring targeted extermination. Upon discovering rodent excrement, individuals should wear masks and rubber gloves, ventilate the area and disinfect with a 1:9 bleach solution before cleaning.
For more information, you can visit the CDC website or call the toll-free epidemic prevention hotline at 1922. Rodent carcasses found in public spaces should be reported to the 1999 hotline for removal. ◼