The outbreak on the cruise ship

WHO downplays the risk of infection: "It's not Covid"

The risk to the public of being infected with the hantavirus is minimal, after the outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius. This is stated by the World Health Organization, WHO, writes AFP.

The reason is that the infection is only spread through "very close contact".

- This is a dangerous virus, but only for the person who is actually infected, and the risk to the public remains very low, says WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier at a press conference.

The organization's head of pandemic prevention also downplays the risk of spread. According to Maria van Kerkhove, this is neither the start of a new epidemic nor a pandemic.

- It's not Covid, she says according to The Guardian.

Doctor was going on vacation – ended up in the middle of the outbreak

When American doctor Stephen Kornfeld boarded the cruise ship MV Hondius, he was looking forward to a vacation and adventure. Instead, he ended up in the middle of the hantavirus outbreak on board, writes CNN.

– I ended up in a way in the role of ship's doctor, he says.

One of the infected on board was the ship's regular doctor, who became so ill that he had to isolate himself in his cabin. Instead, Kornfeld had to take over the care. He says he is glad that the infected have now been able to be brought ashore for treatment.

– When it comes to hantavirus, the right care in time is crucial to your chances of survival. On the ship, that was not possible, he says.

29 left the ship – now being traced worldwide

At least 29 people from twelve countries left the cruise ship MV Hondius before the outbreak of hantavirus on board became known and the passengers were isolated, writes The Guardian. Authorities in countries around the world are now working to trace them and map out who they have been in contact with.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that more cases of illness linked to the ships may be discovered, but that this is not a wider risk of spread.

– This is not the start of an epidemic. It is not the start of a pandemic. It is not Covid, says Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's head of pandemic prevention.

The hantavirus outbreak — it matters

• Three people have died and several have become ill in an outbreak of hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius during a voyage from Argentina to Cape Verde.
• WHO assesses that the virus was probably spread between people on board, which is unusual for hantavirus.
• The ship was quarantined off Cape Verde and passengers were prohibited from disembarking, several infected people were evacuated to hospitals in different countries.
• Argentine authorities suspected that the infection may have occurred after contact with rodents at a garbage dump in Ushuaia before boarding.
• WHO, EU and Swedish authorities assess the risk of community spread as low, but are monitoring developments closely.