The World Health Organization has warned that more hantavirus cases linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius could emerge, even as health officials stress that the outbreak is expected to remain limited if precautions are followed.
The WHO said five confirmed and three suspected cases of the rare Andes strain of hantavirus have been reported so far, including three deaths connected to the cruise ship outbreak. Authorities in Argentina said they are still unable to determine where the infection first originated, while health agencies across Europe and South Africa continue tracing passengers and isolating possible cases.
The MV Hondius is now heading towards Spain’s Canary Islands, with officials saying no symptomatic individuals are currently onboard. Meanwhile, Singapore’s Communicable Diseases Agency said two residents who had travelled on the cruise ship have been isolated and are undergoing testing. The World Health Organization has warned that the virus can incubate for up to six weeks, raising concerns that additional cases could still emerge in the coming days.
Chile’s Health Ministry said exposure linked to the hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship did not occur in Chile, adding that the infected passengers had travelled through the country outside the virus incubation period.
PHOTO: Freepik
