Global Health Organization reports 10 confirmed hantavirus cases worldwide

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that there are currently 10 global cases of hantavirus, according to a recent update from the organization. This number is lower than an earlier figure of 11, which was revised after further testing revealed that one individual who had previously been suspected of having contracted the virus tested negative.

According to Maria Van Kerkhove, director of the WHO’s department for epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, the updated count includes eight laboratory-confirmed cases and two probable cases. Three people have died since the outbreak began on board the MV Hondius, a Dutch luxury cruise ship that departed from Argentina on a polar expedition.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has reiterated that the risk of hantavirus spreading to the global population is considered low. The captain and crew of the ship remain on board and are being monitored, with no symptomatic individuals currently reported. However, due to the long incubation period of six weeks, Tedros warned that more cases may be reported in coming days as passengers return to their countries.

Passengers will undergo quarantine and testing upon their return, according to the WHO chief. The organization is also working with experts from Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay to understand the outbreak and its spread. Hantaviruses are typically transmitted through infected rodents, but the Andes virus strain responsible for this outbreak can also be spread between humans with prolonged close contact in enclosed settings.

The symptoms of hantavirus include fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and abdominal pain, which typically emerge between one and eight weeks after exposure. In severe cases, the illness can progress rapidly to coughing, shortness of breath, and fluid accumulation in the lungs.

Source: Al Jazeera