The Ministry of Health declared a health alert for the hantavirus for the first time, effective until July 31, 2027, covering from Atacama to Magallanes.
The decree was published on July 28, 2026, in response to the rise in virus lethality, which reached 39% so far this year with 46 infections and 18 deaths.
Public Health Undersecretary Alejandra Pizarro explained that the measure is preventive and allows strengthening surveillance and resources. “We are very concerned because this year the lethality of the virus has increased,” she said.
Cases were recorded in the regions of Valparaíso, Metropolitana, O’Higgins, Maule, Ñuble, Biobío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos, Los Lagos and Aysén. The decree also addresses simultaneous risks such as arbovirosis and avian influenza.
Experts such as infectologist Claudia Cortés noted that the virus does not usually cause person-to-person transmission and urged extreme precautions like ventilating spaces and avoiding contact with rodents.
