{"id":124758,"date":"2026-05-07T17:35:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T17:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/who-says-hantavirus-outbreak-on-cruise-ship-is-not-another-covid\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T17:37:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T17:37:15","slug":"who-says-hantavirus-outbreak-on-cruise-ship-is-not-another-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/who-says-hantavirus-outbreak-on-cruise-ship-is-not-another-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"WHO says hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship is not ‘another COVID’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Three people aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius have died and several others have fallen ill, triggering a major international public health response involving countries in Europe, Africa and Latin America.<\/p>\n

The first alert came from the United Kingdom, which informed Who<\/a> The ship was quarantined under the International Health Regulations (IHR) after passengers developed severe respiratory illness during a voyage from Argentina to Cabo Verde.<\/p>\n

briefing to journalists<\/a> In Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus<\/a> Said that eight cases have been reported so far Five laboratory-confirmed infections and three suspected cases<\/strong> Linked to rare Andes strain of hantavirus<\/p>\n

low risk to humans<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses spread by rodents and usually spread to humans through contact with infected animals or their urine, saliva or droppings (Checkout WHO’s <\/strong><\/em>Hantavirus factsheet here<\/strong><\/em><\/a>).<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The Andes strain, found in parts of Latin America, is the only known hantavirus capable of limited human-to-human transmission<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

According to WHO, transmission usually requires close and prolonged contact<\/strong>Especially between household members, intimate partners or healthcare workers.<\/p>\n

“At this stage, The overall public health risk remains low<\/strong>\u201dDr Tedros said.<\/p>\n

WHO officials have been clear that the outbreak is very different from the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, which killed millions of people worldwide.<\/p>\n

“This is not SARS-CoV-2. This is not the beginning of a COVID pandemic,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s acting director of epidemiology and pandemic management.<\/p>\n

\u201cHantavirus has been around for a long time. We know this virus. It does not spread the way corona virus spreads<\/strong>“<\/p>\n

investigation underway<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The first known patient developed symptoms on 6 April and later died on board the ship. His wife also became ill and died after being flown to South Africa, where laboratory testing confirmed hantavirus infection.<\/p>\n

Before boarding, the pair had traveled to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay on a bird-watching trip, which included visiting places where rodent species carrying the virus are present.<\/p>\n

Another passenger died on 2 May and while one man remains in intensive care in South Africa, WHO said his condition was improving. Other patients have been transferred to hospitals in the Netherlands for treatment.<\/p>\n

Who said None of the passengers or crew currently on board are showing symptoms.<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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