Hantaviruses: Travel health advice
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Before your trip
Talk to a health care provider or travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel. Even if your travel date is coming up soon, it's still worthwhile to make an appointment.
Check the travel advice page for your destinations before you leave:
Travel advice and advisories by destination
During your trip
To reduce your risk of hantavirus infection while travelling:
- keep the place you're staying at rodent-free
- keep the area clean
- store food, water and garbage in containers that are tightly sealed
- remove items that may provide shelter for rodents
- stay away from rodents and their droppings, urine, saliva and nesting material
- properly clean and disinfect areas contaminated by rodent droppings, urine and saliva with:
- a Heath Canada-approved surface disinfectant or
- a mixture of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water
The Andes virus, found in South America, is the only strain of hantavirus with evidence of possible limited person-to-person transmission. To reduce the risk of Andes virus infection:
- avoid contact with people who have symptoms of hantavirus infection
- wear a well-fitting mask if you can't avoid contact
- clean your hands regularly by:
- washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or
- using a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for 20 seconds or until your hands are dry
- avoid sharing food, drinks or utensils with anyone who has symptoms
Seek medical care if you feel sick and develop symptoms similar to those of hantavirus infection.
Learn more:
- Hantavirus: Symptoms and treatment
- Hantavirus: Spread, prevention and risk
- Health Canada-approved surface disinfectants
- Respiratory infectious diseases: Mask use for reducing the spread
- If you become sick or injured while travelling outside Canada or after your return
After your trip
Continue to monitor your health after you return to Canada.
Fever and other symptoms of hantavirus infection disease can be similar to those of many other infections. You can't always tell them apart without a medical assessment.
If you have symptoms that could be due to hantavirus infection during your flight, tell either:
- the flight attendant before you land or
- the border services officer as you enter Canada
They will notify a quarantine officer who can assess your symptoms.
If you develop symptoms of hantavirus infection after your return, immediately:
- isolate away from others
- contact a health care provider or local public health authority for advice on what to do
Tell the health care provider if you have:
- had contact with rodents or their droppings, urine or saliva
- been in contact with a person suspected or confirmed to have hantavirus infection
- are feeling sick or have symptoms of hantavirus infection
Get medical care as soon as possible. If you have a hantavirus infection, it can quickly become very severe. The sooner you get treatment, the better your chances for recovery.
Learn more: