Arabic version: منظمة الصحة العالمية تتوقع المزيد من حالات فيروس هانتا نتيجة تفشي على متن سفينة سياحية

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning regarding the potential for more hantavirus cases, following the deaths of three passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship. According to SBS News, health officials are currently conducting contact tracing efforts to manage the situation.

The Andes virus, a strain of hantavirus, has a long incubation period of up to six weeks, which raises concerns about additional cases emerging. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that five confirmed and three suspected cases have been reported overall, including the three fatalities.

Despite the alarming nature of the situation, health officials are optimistic that the outbreak will remain limited if public health measures are adhered to. Abdi Rahman Mahamud, WHO’s emergency alert and response director, emphasized the importance of solidarity among nations to manage the outbreak effectively.

Currently, individuals thought to be infected are receiving treatment or isolating in several countries, including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and South Africa. The MV Hondius is en route to the Spanish Canary Islands, where health officials are monitoring the situation closely. The ship, which has 149 people aboard, is reported to have no symptomatic individuals at present.

The hantavirus, primarily transmitted through infected rodents, can lead to serious respiratory and cardiac issues. There are no known vaccines or cures for this disease, making the ongoing monitoring and response critical. Health officials in Argentina are also planning to test rodents in Ushuaia, the city from which the cruise departed, to further assess the outbreak’s origins.