WHO Chief Addresses Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship, Assures Low Risk
WHO chief says hantavirus outbreak not like start of Covid
The Economic TimesImage: The Economic Times
The World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has stated that the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which resulted in three deaths, does not resemble the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasized that the global risk remains low and confirmed that three infected passengers have been evacuated to the Netherlands.
- 01Three passengers have died from suspected hantavirus on the MV Hondius cruise ship.
- 02WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus downplayed the outbreak's risk, stating it's not like COVID-19.
- 03The hantavirus is typically spread by rodents, but a human-transmissible strain has been confirmed.
- 04Three infected individuals have been evacuated to the Netherlands for treatment.
- 05The WHO is monitoring the situation closely and providing support to those on board.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, addressed concerns regarding a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which has been under scrutiny since three passengers died. He clarified that the outbreak does not share similarities with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, asserting that the global risk is low. The hantavirus, typically transmitted from rodents, has a strain confirmed to spread between humans. In response to the outbreak, three infected individuals were evacuated to the Netherlands, while the ship, currently anchored off Cape Verde, is set to sail to Spain's Canary Islands for the remaining passengers. The WHO has deployed medical staff to the ship and is committed to monitoring the situation closely.
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The outbreak raises health concerns for cruise passengers and those in proximity to the ship, emphasizing the need for vigilance against infectious diseases.
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