Chief Medical Officer in the Virgin Islands, Dr Ronald E. Georges, has urged residents to be vigilant rather than worried, as the hantavirus remains a low risk in the Caribbean. Photo: Facebook

Chief Medical Officer in the Virgin Islands, Dr Ronald E. Georges, pointed out that human-to-human transmission of hantavirus is minimal. Photo: Internet Source

In a GIS Report on Friday, May 22, 2026, during the segment 'Health Bytes', Dr Georges emphasised, “In the Virgin Islands specifically, and in the wider Caribbean, the risk is very, very low. It's not a disease that we've seen in the Caribbean, to any extent.”

He pointed out that human-to-human transmission of hantavirus is minimal, stating, “When you look at how it's transmitted, most of the transmission is directly from rats to humans. There's some very, very small possibility of human-to-human transmission.”

Hantavirus is not like COVID-19

Dr Georges stated that hantavirus is not like other diseases, such as COVID-19, which spreads efficiently from person to person. 

He stated, “So what I would say is not necessarily to be worried. But to be vigilant.”

The Chief Medical Officer also encouraged Virgin Islanders to ensure that any information they receive comes from reputable sources. The region's primary health agencies actively monitor maritime arrivals using advanced surveillance to prevent any spread from isolated international incidents.