How Worried Should We Be About Getting Hantavirus?
Health officials are tracing exposed passengers in multiple countries after eight cases were identified, including three confirmed infections and three deaths.
- Three passengers died following a Hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius, a cruise ship that departed Argentina a month ago and is now sailing toward Spain's Canary Islands.
- The Andes strain detected on board can spread through human-to-human transmission in close quarters, likely originating from rodent exposure during the ship's remote wildlife expeditions.
- Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed eight cases—three confirmed and five suspected—among those aboard, including a Dutch woman who disembarked in St Helena on April 24 and her husband who died earlier.
- British nationals must self-isolate for 45 days upon return to the UK, as the UK Health Security Agency coordinates tracing efforts across South Africa, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the US.
- Prof Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UKHSA, said "the risk here is really negligible" to the general public, as early medical support remains the primary treatment for infected patients.
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12 Articles
Men in white suits, “quarantine,” and face masks: the news about the hantavirus on board a cruise ship revives the feverish dream of ‘corona’. But how worried should we really be, wonders editor-in-chief Dimitri Antonissen? “Fortunately, this seems like a very different beast. The best proof: even Marc Van Ranst is advocating for calm this time instead of drastic measures.”
The virus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius has sparked concern on social media. However, health authorities are urging people to remain calm.
The case of infection on the Hondius cruise ship is unprecedented and complex: the World Health Organization says that the risk to the general population remains low
An outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship carrying passengers from around the world is a situation that the authorities take extremely seriously.
Herald/Review Media
One News PageShould You Worry About Hantavirus?
An outbreak of hantavirus aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has heightened concerns about the rare but deadly virus. Public health officials say that the threat to the general public remains low based on what we know about…
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