Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship not start of pandemic, UN health agency says

Key Points:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed an outbreak of hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius, with five of eight suspected cases confirmed and three deaths reported, but emphasized this is not a pandemic like Covid-19 due to the virus's mode of transmission through close, intimate contact.
• The MV Hondius, carrying about 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries, began its journey in Argentina on 1 April and is expected to arrive in Spain's Canary Islands on 10 May; dozens disembarked at St Helena on 24 April, where some passengers are now self-isolating.
• WHO officials and health authorities are tracing contacts and monitoring passengers, with a low public health risk assessment, but cautioning that more cases may emerge due to the virus's incubation period of up to six weeks.
• Several countries, including the UK, Spain, and the US, are coordinating repatriation and quarantine efforts for their nationals, while Oceanwide Expeditions remains in close communication with authorities about screening and arrival procedures.
• Investigations continue into the origin of the outbreak, including rodent testing in Ushuaia, and health authorities are monitoring passengers who traveled on related flights, with some fatalities still under investigation for hantavirus confirmation.