WHO revises hantavirus cases lower after US passenger tests negative
The total number of global cases of hantavirus stands at 10 following the revision.
· CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
A World Health Organization official said on Friday (May 15) the US confirmed that an individual who had an inconclusive test was later confirmed to be negative for hantavirus, bringing down the total global cases to 10 from 11.
Maria Van Kerkhove, director of the UN agency's department of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, said the earlier report "included one individual who had an inconclusive test ... we've had further confirmation from the United States that person was negative".
Three people - a Dutch couple and a German national - have died since the outbreak on the MV Hondius, a Dutch luxury cruise ship, that departed Argentina on a polar expedition on Apr 1.
Crew, passengers and people in contact have been quarantined in several European countries.
CNA Games
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Show More
Show Less
US health officials said on Thursday there were no confirmed cases in the country, adding that 41 people, including 18 quarantined in Nebraska and Atlanta, are being monitored for possible infection.
The current outbreak involves the Andes virus, a rare hantavirus strain and the only one known to be capable of limited human-to-human transmission, typically after close and prolonged contact.
The strain has circulated in parts of Argentina and Chile for decades and the ship samples show no meaningful variation from that virus.
Van Kerkhove said WHO experts "haven't identified any changes ... in the virus to make it more transmissible, more severe".
The WHO has stressed that the outbreak was not comparable to COVID-19 and did not pose a pandemic threat.
Hantaviruses are rodent-borne viruses usually spread through contact with infected rodents' urine, droppings or saliva, and can be transmitted between people in rare cases. Incubation can last for one to six weeks before patients start presenting symptoms.
There are currently no approved vaccines or targeted antiviral treatments for hantavirus, and care is largely supportive.
The WHO recommends monitoring and quarantining high-risk contacts for 42 days after exposure, while advising low-risk contacts to self-monitor and seek medical care if symptoms develop.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app