HPSLast updated 2025-10-20
Hantavirus in Panama
Choclo virus is the locally circulating hantavirus, first identified during a 1999 cluster in Los Santos. Panama maintains active surveillance through the Gorgas Memorial Institute and reports case-fatality rates lower than other HPS-endemic Andean countries.
Cumulative Cases
120
Deaths
45
CFR
37.5%
Global Rank
#17
by case count
Circulating Strains
- ●Choclo virus
Primary syndrome: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
Reservoir Species
- • Costa Rican pygmy rice rat (Oligoryzomys fulvescens)
Most Affected Regions
- • Azuero Peninsula (Los Santos, Herrera)
Country-specific Risk & Prevention
Rural homes with thatched roofs and granaries are highest-risk environments during the dry season.
General prevention: see symptoms and prevention guidance →
Field Notes
Choclo virus. Outbreaks in Azuero Peninsula.