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WHO Declares Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak Over
Newser • • health
Key Points:
- A hantavirus outbreak occurred aboard a cruise ship, resulting in the deaths of three passengers, including a 69-year-old Dutch man who fell ill early in the voyage, with the virus spreading through close contact.
- The ship was stranded at sea for weeks as ports refused entry until Spain allowed docking in Tenerife on May 9, and over 650 contacts across around 36 countries were traced and quarantined, including 18 Americans.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) believes the virus originated in Patagonia, where the Andes strain is endemic, and with no new cases since May 25, the outbreak is considered over.
- WHO is coordinating a multinational study involving 21 countries to better understand the disease and develop treatments, emphasizing the ongoing public health risk posed by Andes virus and other hantaviruses in South America and endemic regions.
- Continued monitoring and preparedness are urged by WHO officials to prevent further spread of hantavirus infections.
