Morocco's Minister of Health and Social Protection, Abdelfettah Chakib, has called on the public to avoid panic over recent reports of hantavirus cases, emphasizing that the situation is not comparable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking on May 19, 2026, Chakib stated that the virus is not transmitted from person to person and that the risk of a widespread outbreak is minimal.
The minister's remarks follow the detection of several hantavirus infections among crew members aboard a cargo ship docked at the port of Casablanca. According to the Ministry of Health, the affected individuals are in stable condition and receiving medical care. Local health authorities have implemented standard containment measures, including disinfection of the vessel and monitoring of close contacts.
Hantavirus is primarily spread through contact with rodent droppings, urine, or saliva, and can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a severe respiratory disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that human-to-human transmission is extremely rare. Chakib urged citizens to rely on official sources for information and to avoid spreading unverified claims on social media.
This incident has drawn comparisons to the early days of COVID-19, but health experts stress that the two viruses are fundamentally different. COVID-19 spreads easily via respiratory droplets, while hantavirus requires direct exposure to infected rodents. No cases of hantavirus have been reported outside the ship's crew, and the situation remains under control.
