Global Rat Infestation Rampant, Italian Expert: Public Health Must be the Core of Governance
Amid concerns over Hantavirus, former Italian Ministry of Health official Francesco Vaia highlights that the solution to global rat infestations lies in a 'One Health' approach, making environment, public health, and social welfare central to policy.
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- 📰 Published: May 14, 2026 at 20:53
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(Central News Agency, Reporter Huang Ya-shih, Rome, 14th) Concerns about Hantavirus have sparked worries over rat infestations. Francesco Vaia, former Director-General for Prevention at the Italian Ministry of Health, told the Central News Agency that major metropolises worldwide, from New York and Rome to cities in Taiwan, all face rat problems. He believes the solution is a policy change: 'Environment, public health, and social welfare policies must become the core of governance.'
Vaia, who also served as the director of Italy's National Institute for Infectious Diseases 'Spallanzani Institute,' was invited yesterday to a discussion with foreign media, including the Central News Agency. They explored whether the recent Hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship 'MV Hondius' would cause a large-scale epidemic in Europe or even globally, and how the international community should respond.
'I believe the alarm for a Hantavirus global pandemic is zero,' Vaia said, urging the public not to panic, as Hantavirus is not a new virus. The test results for four suspected cases in Italy at the 'Spallanzani Institute' yesterday were also negative.
However, Vaia believes that in a globalized society, zoonotic diseases or new epidemics could break out at any time. While developing vaccines and new drugs is important, a more urgent need is for comprehensive, internationally aligned prevention policies. For example, rats are vectors for many diseases, and improving the environment to solve rat infestations is necessary to reduce transmission risks from the source.
When asked by a CNA reporter how to solve the rat problem through policy, Vaia first explained that he does not hate rats; his family kept hamsters for years, and his children played with them. 'Rats do not get sick in a proper environment. The problem is when rats get sick in dirty, polluted environments and then spread germs to other rats and humans.'
Vaia lamented that there are now many polluted ponds, rivers, and poorly managed landfills that easily breed pathogens. Sick rats then coexist with humans in large cities. From New York, Rome, Florence to cities in Taiwan, all face rat problems. If there is a carrier among them, frequent international travel can spread the pathogens worldwide.
'Therefore, a policy change is needed to make public health the core of both central and local policies,' Vaia said. Global infectious diseases may not have been a major issue before, but they are now crucial. New policies must ensure that health systems are adequate to handle emergencies. Medical and social welfare cannot only consider current needs but must have an international perspective and require sufficient public resources.
Vaia emphasized that the government must play a role and cannot rely solely on the private sector or industry for research, otherwise, various chaotic scenes will be seen on the streets, such as wild boars and numerous rats rummaging through trash cans in residential areas of Rome.
Vaia also advocated for greater involvement of veterinarians in the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases, as many pathogens have animal hosts. Improving the living environment for both humans and animals to reduce the probability of animals getting sick is a fundamental solution. 'We can't always just take antipyretics for a fever or rush to develop vaccines or treatments only when there is an outbreak.' (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150514
Vaia, who also served as the director of Italy's National Institute for Infectious Diseases 'Spallanzani Institute,' was invited yesterday to a discussion with foreign media, including the Central News Agency. They explored whether the recent Hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship 'MV Hondius' would cause a large-scale epidemic in Europe or even globally, and how the international community should respond.
'I believe the alarm for a Hantavirus global pandemic is zero,' Vaia said, urging the public not to panic, as Hantavirus is not a new virus. The test results for four suspected cases in Italy at the 'Spallanzani Institute' yesterday were also negative.
However, Vaia believes that in a globalized society, zoonotic diseases or new epidemics could break out at any time. While developing vaccines and new drugs is important, a more urgent need is for comprehensive, internationally aligned prevention policies. For example, rats are vectors for many diseases, and improving the environment to solve rat infestations is necessary to reduce transmission risks from the source.
When asked by a CNA reporter how to solve the rat problem through policy, Vaia first explained that he does not hate rats; his family kept hamsters for years, and his children played with them. 'Rats do not get sick in a proper environment. The problem is when rats get sick in dirty, polluted environments and then spread germs to other rats and humans.'
Vaia lamented that there are now many polluted ponds, rivers, and poorly managed landfills that easily breed pathogens. Sick rats then coexist with humans in large cities. From New York, Rome, Florence to cities in Taiwan, all face rat problems. If there is a carrier among them, frequent international travel can spread the pathogens worldwide.
'Therefore, a policy change is needed to make public health the core of both central and local policies,' Vaia said. Global infectious diseases may not have been a major issue before, but they are now crucial. New policies must ensure that health systems are adequate to handle emergencies. Medical and social welfare cannot only consider current needs but must have an international perspective and require sufficient public resources.
Vaia emphasized that the government must play a role and cannot rely solely on the private sector or industry for research, otherwise, various chaotic scenes will be seen on the streets, such as wild boars and numerous rats rummaging through trash cans in residential areas of Rome.
Vaia also advocated for greater involvement of veterinarians in the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases, as many pathogens have animal hosts. Improving the living environment for both humans and animals to reduce the probability of animals getting sick is a fundamental solution. 'We can't always just take antipyretics for a fever or rush to develop vaccines or treatments only when there is an outbreak.' (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150514