Hantavirus kills three in Venezuela; no human-to-human transmission found

At least three individuals in Venezuela have succumbed to hantavirus, the nation's health ministry announced Tuesday. The ministry emphasized that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the rare respiratory virus, which is typically spread through contact with infected rodents.

The confirmed hantavirus diagnoses and subsequent deaths occurred in the northeastern state of Anzoategui. In its statement, the health ministry asserted, "there is no scientific evidence of human-to-human transmission in our country." This clarification aims to address public concerns and prevent the spread of misinformation regarding the disease.

“

there is no scientific evidence of human-to-human transmission in our country.

Furthermore, the ministry explicitly rejected any potential connection between the hantavirus fatalities and the deaths of two medical workers in the western state of Barinas. The cause of the medical workers' deaths remains undetermined, and officials stressed that "any connection between the reported situations has been ruled out." This statement seeks to provide clarity and prevent the conflation of unrelated health incidents.

Hantavirus gained global attention earlier this year when an outbreak occurred aboard a cruise ship, resulting in three deaths. The World Health Organization declared that outbreak over in early July. The ship had departed from Argentina, a region where a specific strain of the virus known to spread between humans is endemic.

“

Any connection between the reported situations has been ruled out.