The appearance of cases of hantavirus on a cruise ship with passengers from many countries, which sailed from Argentina about a month ago, has raised alarm among health authorities, who are taking the case with particular seriousness.
So far, three passengers have lost their lives. Authorities have launched a major tracing operation, as several passengers have already been flown back to their countries, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, the Netherlands, the United States and Switzerland.
However, experts appear reassuring for the general population, emphasizing that the risk remains low.
In her briefing, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove from the World Health Organization emphasized that the situation does not resemble a pandemic, clarifying that "this is not Covid or flu, as the mode of transmission is completely different."
Unlike highly contagious diseases, such as measles, the “Andean strain” of hantavirus linked to the incident is not easily transmitted.
The WHO points out that the possibility of widespread spread remains limited, but authorities have not yet concluded how the cluster of cases began.
Hantavirus is usually associated with rodents and is transmitted when someone inhales virus particles from the urine, feces, or saliva of infected animals. Symptoms of hantavirus are usually fever, headache, cough, and shortness of breath. Symptoms usually appear two to four weeks after exposure to the virus, but in some cases they can take more than a month to appear.
The cruise ship had visited isolated areas with intense wildlife, which raises the possibility that a passenger was exposed to the virus there, either during the excursion or before boarding.
Experts have observed cases of human-to-human transmission in previous outbreaks of the strain, mainly after very close and prolonged contact. Health authorities believe that some of the infections on the ship may have come from such contact between passengers.
Source: capital.gr
