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Thailand has launched intensive screening measures for hantavirus among travelers arriving from South America, aiming to bolster public confidence and ensure safe international tourism.

According to the Thai Department of Disease Control, while the country has reported no cases of the virus to date, the department has implemented a mandatory screening process for individuals who have traveled to 13 South American countries within the last six weeks.

Travelers from these risk areas must report to disease control officers to provide a detailed medical history via a health declaration form before proceeding through immigration, said Dr Montien Kanasawadse, director-general of the department.

All 74 international entry points across the Southeast Asian country have been directed to tighten environmental sanitation and vector control, with particular emphasis placed on cruise ships and international transport vehicles.

As of May 9, Thai authorities had screened a total of 470 travelers from South America, averaging 157 arrivals per day, with Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport serving as the primary hub for these arrivals.

WHO said the virus is transmitted through contact with rodent waste or secretions, and that there is currently no vaccine or specific treatment available. However, the organization stressed that the risk to global public health remains low at present.