Public health experts have called for immediate resumption of anti-rat operations across the Peshawar following reports of a Hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship allegedly linked to severe rodent infestation.
They warned that the unchecked increase in rodent populations in densely populated urban areas could heighten the risk of transmission of dangerous zoonotic diseases, posing a serious threat to public health and sanitation.
Health experts stressed upon the need for coordinated efforts by municipal authorities, sanitation departments and public health institutions to launch an effective rodent control campaign alongside improved waste management systems.
They also urged upon citizens to maintain cleanliness in homes, markets and public places, ensure proper garbage disposal and avoid conditions that attract rats and other disease-carrying pests.
“Hantavirus disease is a rare but severe and often fatal, zoonotic infection primarily transmitted by rodents,” said Prof. Dr. Yasar Mehmood Yousafzai of Khyber Medical University (KMU).
He explained that the disease has two major forms, including Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which was mostly reported in western countries. In Asia, however, the infection could mainly affect the kidneys and blood vessels and could sometimes lead to kidney failure.
Dr. Yasar said the disease was contracted through inhalation of or contact with contaminated rodent saliva, urine or faeces. Early symptoms include fever, muscle aches and fatigue, which might later progress to respiratory or renal failure.
“Rats and mice are commonly found in densely populated localities where their presence in kitchens, house entrances and even offices has become routine,” he observed.
He warned that the presence of rats in kitchens and food storage areas could pose a serious health hazard, as food items could become contaminated through rodent droppings and urine.
Dr. Yasar emphasized that public awareness campaigns regarding preventive measures and symptoms associated with Hantavirus and other rodent-borne diseases were equally important to minimize health risks and ensure early diagnosis of infections.
“Rats are already creating public health problems through bites and by spreading different diseases, which require proper research and diagnosis,” said Muhammad Riaz Khan, Senior Veterinary Officer at the Livestock and Dairy Development Department, Khaber Pakhtunkhwa.
Riaz said a young man from Bajaur was infected with leptospirosis last year, a zoonotic bacterial disease caused by Leptospira bacteria and transmitted to humans through contact with urine from infected animals, particularly rodents, dogs or livestock.
He said such infections required thorough investigation and timely preventive measures to stop their spread and protect the public from potentially fatal diseases.
He urged local body institutions, Town Municipal Administrations and residents to take the situation seriously by launching extensive awareness campaigns and ensuring environmental cleanliness.
“Given the recent Hantavirus alert, we hope the local authorities would restart the Anti-Rat Operation before the situation worsens,” said Javed Iqbal, a Peshawar resident and banker.
In a social media post, Javed wrote, “rats are running all over the place, yet we have been unable to clean up our environment.”
He said unusually large rats could frequently be seen near sweet shops, quack clinics, herbal stores and traditional grocery outlets. He also referred to reports from different parts of the country where newborn babies were allegedly attacked by rats in hospitals and homes.
A few years ago, the local administration in Peshawar launched an anti-rat campaign by offering a bounty of Rs 25 per rat. The initiative was approved during a meeting attended by the city mayor, health officials and public health coordinators in 2016. A mobile unit was also established to collect dead rats under the Anti-Rat Operation initiative, Javed recalled.
“I am consulting my lawyer to include the Hantavirus threat in our petition filed before the Green Bench of the Peshawar High Court,” said senior journalist Lehaz Ali, who, along with other residents, approached the court in February 2026.
In the joint petition, journalists Lehaz Ali and Shahzada Fahad, along with residents including Ubaidullah and Luqmanuddin, maintained that rat infestation and rat-bite incidents had become a serious public health emergency and a continuing public nuisance due to poor sanitation, open drains, broken sewerage lines and improper garbage disposal.
The petitioners requested the court to direct the authorities to immediately launch fumigation and sanitation drives, remove garbage dumps, clean sewerage lines and drains, and ensure the availability of tetanus injections and emergency treatment for rat-bite victims in government hospitals.
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