WHO warns against panic in view of extensive reports on hantavirus

GENEVA, May 10. /TASS/. Possible risks of hantavirus infection spread may be exaggerated following the outbreak of the Andes virus on board the MV Hondius vessel due to the extremely close media focus on this issue, Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist with the World Health Organization, said. "We must clarify the situation under the current context, because with all the attention paid to this issue right now, people may believe that the risk is surging, but this is not the case," she said. As Van Kerkhove emphasized, despite the fact that WHO currently classifies all those on board the vessel as "high-risk contacts," a possible risk of contracting the Andes virus remains low both for the world population as and for residents of the Canary Islands, where the ship should dock to evacuate passengers. The expert explained that the passengers of the MV Hondius pose a danger primarily to each other, as they may have had contact with those previously infected on board, but may not yet show symptoms of the disease. The World Health Organization reported eight confirmed hantavirus cases among people aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. Three of those infected died. According to South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, specialists identified the virus strain responsible for the deaths as the Andes strain, which can spread through close human contact. Three weeks ago, the Dutch-flagged vessel departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on a cruise bound for the Canary Islands, Spain. About 150 people are on board, mostly citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands. One Russian citizen is among the crew members. The ship made stops at several islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Earlier, authorities in Cape Verde refused to allow the vessel to enter the waters of the capital port of Praia, forcing it to remain anchored offshore for nearly three days. The MV Hondius left Cape Verdean waters on May 6 and is heading toward the Canary Islands. The ship is expected to dock at the port of Granadilla on the island of Tenerife in three days. Hantaviruses are a family of viruses that primarily infect small mammals but can also spread to humans. In severe cases, infected individuals may develop lung damage, heart failure, and hemorrhagic fever.