Protecting Caribbean Food Safety and Public Health: Hantavirus, Leptospirosis and Vector-Borne Disease Prevention

Public Health, Food Systems, Homes, Businesses and Communities

Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA)
Publication Date: 18, May 2026

Environmental sanitation is a critical pillar of food safety, public health, tourism resilience, and sustainable development across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Poorly maintained environments, rodent infestations, unmanaged waste, blocked drainage systems, stagnant water, neglected properties, and unsanitary surroundings create conditions that enable the spread of communicable diseases while increasing risks of food contamination and environmental health hazards. Recent international monitoring of hantavirus by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has renewed focus on the importance of rodent control, environmental hygiene, and sanitary facility management in protecting public health and food systems (CDC, 2026: https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/situation-summary/).