WHILE the hantavirus is being transmitted by rodents, the virus may also be acquired through domestic animals, such as cats and dogs.
Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID) president Arthur Roman said other animals may become "mechanical vectors" of hantavirus.
"While there is no strong evidence that domestic animals can be infected, they can still be mechanical vectors," Roman said in an online media forum on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
"If there are rat droppings, a dog or a cat can still slip in the virus even though they are not the actual source," he added.
Back in April, an outbreak of hantavirus was identified in the Dutch cruise ship, M/V Hondius, which has 38 Filipino crew members onboard.
The hantavirus is an illness transmitted mainly by rodents, and can cause serious illnesses and death.
For its part, the Department of Health (DOH) said Filipinos should actually be more wary over leptospirosis.
In the same online media forum, DOH spokesman Albert Domingo said Filipinos must be more vigilant over the threat of leptospirosis, which is being transmitted by rats similar to the hantavirus.
"For us at the DOH, we are more concerned with leptospirosis. That's endemic to us," said the health official.
"Similar precautions are being advised for hantavirus and leptospirosis. And whether it's hantavirus or not, let's not forget what's endemic to us: leptospirosis," Domingo added. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
