WHO confirms five cases of hantavirus linked to cruise ship | Health Issues

Hantaviruses are a group of viruses carried by rodents that can cause severe disease in humans.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed five cases of hantavirus Relating to death on board a ship in the Atlantic.

Three other cases are thought to be linked to the Andean strain of hantavirus. WHO says many cases are likely, but the risk to public health remains low.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, the head of the UN Health, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the WHO was informed by the UK about a group of people with severe respiratory diseases on the ship Hondius, which is traveling from Cape Verde in the Atlantic to the Spanish island of Tenerife.

“Although this is very serious, the WHO considers the risk to public health to be low,” Ghebreyeus told reporters.

Eight cases have been reported so far, including three deaths, five confirmed and three suspected, he said.

Hantaviruses are a group of viruses carried by rodents that can cause severe disease in humans. They are infected by contact with rodents, urine, faeces or saliva.

The type of hantavirus found on a Dutch-flagged ship is the Andes virus. It has been found in Latin America and is the only hantavirus known to be capable of human-to-human transmission.

In recent years, human-to-human transmission has been associated with short- and long-term contact between family members, close friends and health care workers.

The first fatality on the ship was a man who developed symptoms on April 6 and died five days later. No samples were taken, and hantavirus was not identified because its symptoms were similar to other viruses, the WHO chief said. The man’s wife was the second to be killed. He went ashore in Saint Helena, developed symptoms and died on April 25. A third woman died, developing symptoms on April 25 and dying seven days later.

“Given the incubation period of hantavirus, which can last up to six weeks, it is possible that more cases will be reported.”

Before boarding the ship, the first two victims went to Chile, Argentina and Uruguay on a bird-watching trip, which included visiting areas that are home to rodents known to carry hantavirus. Argentine authorities are investigating the family’s movements. Tedros said Argentina will send 2,500 testing kits to laboratories in five countries.

The WHO has notified 12 countries whose countries have landed in Saint Helena. They come from Britain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States.