Breaking News: WHO Urges Monitoring of Cruise Ship Passengers for Hantavirus
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on all countries to monitor passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship. This comes after a Dutch crew member tested positive for hantavirus.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief, announced the recommendation during a news conference in Geneva. He advised countries to take precautions and continue monitoring passengers as the quarantine period progresses.
Currently, there are 12 confirmed cases of hantavirus linked to this outbreak. Three individuals have died from the virus. However, no new fatalities have been reported since May 2.
More than 600 contacts are being monitored in 30 different countries. A limited number of high-risk contacts are still being located. The infected Dutch crew member is now in isolation and has been hospitalized.
The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) confirmed that the Andes virus was detected in a quarantined individual. They stated that the risk of further spread in the Netherlands remains low. Regular testing is being conducted for all evacuees from the ship.
The MV Hondius departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, and visited several locations before the outbreak was identified.
