The recent identification of hantavirus cases linked to a cruise ship off the coast of Cape Verde has prompted extensive media coverage and increased public demand for reliable information about these viruses. It is important to emphasise that hantaviruses are not a single virus, but rather a group of distinct viruses, each associated with specific rodent species and displaying different clinical characteristics. This diversity contributes to the complexity of the topic and highlights the importance of clear scientific communication.
In this context, several media outlets turned to IHMT NOVA, the Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical da Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, recognising the institute as a trusted and specialised source of information on infectious diseases and travel medicine.
Jaime Nina, Professor Emeritus and infectious disease specialist at IHMT NOVA, as well as a member of the CTM-GHTM Research Group, was among the experts most frequently consulted by the media. He gave interviews to outlets including CNN Portugal, RFI, Observador, TVI, SAPO, Pplware, SIC and RDP Africa. In these interviews, he explained the routes of transmission, the current risk to the population and the epidemiological context of hantaviruses in accessible terms, emphasising that person-to-person transmission is rare and that prevention measures are effective when applied correctly.
Celso Cunha, a PRIME-GHTM | IHMT NOVA researcher, participated in an interview with CNN Portugal, where he discussed the presence of hantaviruses in Europe and the differences between the variants identified in South America and those circulating in Europe. During the interview, he emphasised that European hantaviruses are generally associated with milder clinical forms and noted that these viruses tend to be linked to specific hosts, particularly certain rodent species.
IHMT NOVA also provides the ‘Hantavirus Dossier’, which has been scientifically validated by Jorge Seixas, Clinical Director of the Traveller’s Clinic at ADMT | IHMT NOVA and a researcher at CTM-GHTM. The dossier compiles essential information on transmission, symptoms, severity and preventive measures related to hantaviruses.
The hantavirus case was also addressed during Jornadas GHTM 2026, in the roundtable discussion dedicated to the new clinical areas of the ADMT | IHMT NOVA Travel Clinic, where the risks associated with hantaviruses in the context of travel were discussed.
GHTM | IHMT NOVA will continue to monitor developments closely and support the media and public by providing updated, clear and scientifically validated information.
For more information, readers may consult the Hantavirus Dossier available on the IHMT NOVA website.
