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WHO Statement on Hantavirus Ship: 5 of 8 Cases Confirmed!
🇹🇷 Turkey /Health & Science

WHO Statement on Hantavirus Ship: 5 of 8 Cases Confirmed!

From Cumhuriyet · (7h ago) Turkish Critical tone

Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The World Health Organization confirmed five cases of Hantavirus out of eight suspected cases on the cruise ship MV Hondius.
  • Three deaths have been reported, including one male passenger and a woman, with the virus identified as the Andes strain.
  • The WHO is coordinating the evacuation of three symptomatic passengers for treatment in the Netherlands, while others on board show no symptoms.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided a detailed update on the Hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, confirming five of the eight reported cases. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus clarified that the virus identified is the Andes strain, known for limited human-to-human transmission, primarily among close contacts.

So far, 8 cases have been reported, including 3 deaths. 5 of the 8 cases have been confirmed as hantavirus, and the other 3 are suspected.

— Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusWHO Director-General's statement during a press conference detailing the confirmed and suspected Hantavirus cases on the MV Hondius.

Ghebreyesus recounted the timeline of the outbreak, starting with the first reported death on April 6th. Subsequent deaths and infections occurred among passengers and crew, prompting an international health response. The WHO has been actively involved in coordinating medical care and evacuations, including facilitating the transfer of three symptomatic individuals to the Netherlands for treatment.

The Andes virus, the type of hantavirus involved in this outbreak, is known to cause limited human-to-human transmission in Latin America, primarily through close and prolonged contact among household members, partners, and healthcare providers.

— Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusExplanation of the specific Hantavirus strain and its transmission patterns.

While the situation remains serious, with confirmed cases and fatalities, the WHO's assessment indicates that the risk of further human-to-human transmission on board appears contained for now, as no other passengers or crew members are currently exhibiting symptoms. The organization continues to monitor the situation closely as the ship makes its way towards the Canary Islands.

None of the other passengers or crew on board the ship currently have symptoms.

— Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusUpdate on the health status of other individuals on the MV Hondius.
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Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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