WHO Director Rejects Alex Jones’ Claims Hantavirus Is ‘COVID 2.0’
Forbes • • health
Key Points:
- WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus refuted claims by far-right commentator Alex Jones that the organization was spreading propaganda about the hantavirus outbreak.
- Over 40 people in the U.S. are being monitored for hantavirus following an outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship, though the CDC reported no confirmed cases and stated the public risk remains low.
- The outbreak originated on the MV Hondius during an expedition from Ushuaia, Argentina, with passengers from multiple countries now under observation after disembarking.
- The hantavirus involved is the rare Andes strain, notable for its potential human-to-human transmission through prolonged close contact.
- Globally, there are 10 cases associated with the outbreak, with eight confirmed and two probable, according to the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.