WHO chief warns there ‘might be more hantavirus cases’ | News World

One in every of the world’s leading health experts has warned that we are able to expect more hantavirus cases within the near future.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organisation, maintains there are ‘no signs’ a pandemic is on the cards after cases of the rodent-borne disease were identified on the MV Hondius cruise ship last month.

But he told a press conference in Madrid: ‘In fact, the situation could change.

‘And given the long incubation period of the virus, it’s possible we’d see more cases in the approaching weeks.’

Three individuals who were aboard the cruise ship sailing the Atlantic Ocean have died of the rare but fatal disease.

A minimum of 85 guests and 35 crew members have been evacuated from the vessel, tour operator Oceania Expeditions said on Monday.

A minimum of eight other individuals who were on the ship have fallen in poor health or tested positive. Amongst them are a US citizen and a French woman, 65, each of whom tested positive after being evacuated.

Ghebreyesus said the 150 people aboard the ship have faced ‘a really frightening situation’.

‘Among the passengers were facing mental breakdown,’ he added. ‘They’ve the suitable to be treated with dignity and compassion.

‘There have been some people around the globe calling for the passengers to be contained on the ship for the total quarantine period.

‘Our view was that might have been inhumane and unnecessary.’

Passengers were flown back from Tenerife, within the Spanish Canary Islands, to their home countries on Sunday and Monday.

Ghebreyesus acknowledged that those living in Tenerife were ‘concerned’ concerning the passengers and cruise disembarking on the island.  

He added: ‘We said the chance was low, each to the people of Tenerife and globally, and all our efforts over the past week have been aimed toward keeping it low. 

‘This can be a serious situation, which we’ve taken – and proceed to take – very seriously.’

Ghebreyesus praised Spain for the ‘compassion and solidarity’ it has shown the holidaymakers.

He urged governments to do the identical with the passengers and ensure they quarantine for at the very least 42 days.

The MV Hondius is anticipated to anchor at Rotterdam within the Netherlands either on Sunday or Monday, where it would be disinfected, Oceanwide Expeditions said yesterday.

What’s hantavirus?

Hantavirus, sometimes called the ‘rat virus’, is a rare family of pathogens carried by rodents – there isn’t a vaccine or cure.

The virus spreads through contact with the faeces, urine and saliva of infected rodents.

Early symptoms may be easily mistaken for the flu, equivalent to fever, chills or body aches, but can escalate to heart or lung failure.

On the centre of the cruise outbreak is the Andes strain, which is endemic to South America, including Argentina, where the ship departed on April 1.

Dr Stathis Giotis, a lecturer in life sciences on the University of Essex, told Metro that the Andes hantavirus is the one known strain that may be spread from human to human, though cases of this are few and much between.

‘It’s clearly a serious situation for those directly affected and it deserves careful public health follow-up, but there isn’t a evidence at present that this represents a broader epidemic threat,’ he said.

Individuals who may get in touch with rat droppings, like agricultural employees or people simply cleansing their sheds, are at high risk.

Get in contact with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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