Key development that would force US schools to close over hantavirus fears as travelers from rat virus ship return to US
the-sun.com • • health
Key Points:
- An American tested positive for hantavirus after evacuation from the MV Hondius cruise, where an outbreak of the Andes Virus strain has caused three deaths and several infections.
- Health experts, including Dr. Jennifer Dunphy and Dr. Jill Roberts, consider school closures in the US unlikely due to the virus's low transmission rate and lack of evidence for person-to-person spread domestically.
- The Andes Virus, which can spread through prolonged close contact, has remained stable without mutations that would increase transmissibility, making widespread outbreaks and school shutdowns improbable.
- Quarantine measures are in place for 18 Americans evacuated to Nebraska, with infected individuals receiving treatment in Atlanta, while other passengers across various states are under observation but show no symptoms.
- Officials emphasize that hantavirus is harder to catch than COVID-19, and public health focus remains on controlling rodent exposure and other more common school-age illnesses like measles and influenza.